We Humans are the only species that understand that they are in a game… The game of life.
This also gives us another advantage over the animals, that is to say, we have the power to reject the game.
Unlike other species, we can question, redefine, and even reject the paths that are laid out before us.
Here’s how you can harness this simple idea to shape your life intentionally.
Understanding the Game
The “game” refers to societal, cultural, and biological expectations. Think education, nine-to-five jobs, marriage, and having kids. These are common paths, but they aren’t mandatory.
- Education: Traditional schooling vs. self-directed learning. If you think a standard education will provide you with all you need to navigate the world you are fooling yourself. Instead, choose to take responsibility for your own education. Find gaps and holes in your learning and deliberately fill them.
- Career: Corporate job vs. entrepreneurship or freelancing. Consider starting a side hustle or a small business. One keeps you trapped the other might set you free.
- Lifestyle: Conventional family life vs. alternative lifestyles. Truth be told most people are going to be happy with a conventional family life. There are others that thrive in the unusual. Don’t be told which one you are find out for yourself.
The Power to Reject the Game
Rejecting the conventional game sets us apart from other species. It’s not about rebellion; it’s about personal choice and freedom.
- Career: Travel the world instead of climbing the corporate ladder. Take a gap year or become a digital nomad. The person who wins the game of life is the one with the best stories. More often than not you will not be making these stories in a cubicle or corner office.
- Lifestyle: Focus on personal growth or community work as well as having kids. Volunteer, mentor, or pursue a passion project.
- Personal Beliefs: Test unconventional spiritual or philosophical beliefs. Explore meditation, mindfulness, or alternative therapies. There is more than one way up a mountain. Pick the path that resonates with you.
Embracing Your Choices
Once you reject the conventional game, commit to your choices fully. Accept the consequences and find fulfilment in your unique path.
- Career Fulfillment: Find joy in a job that aligns with your passions. Don’t know what that is? Throw a dozen different types of sh*t at the wall and see what sticks.
- Personal Growth: Pursue hobbies and interests beyond societal norms. Join a hiking club, pick up a Rubik’s cube, splash some paint on a canvas, shake your hips to samba or brush your fingers on bongos.
- Relationships: Form meaningful connections that reflect your values. Search for these people they are probably not sitting next to you in the office. Create a close-knit friend group built around your higher ideals.
The Responsibility of Choice
With great power comes great responsibility. Be accountable for the outcomes of your choices. It requires resilience and adaptability.
- Financial Independence: Manage your finances wisely. Budget carefully and invest in your future. Have a strategy that eventually makes you time-free.
- Emotional Resilience: Develop strategies that don’t make you a slave to your emotions. Practice stress management and seek therapy if needed. Find a philosophy that keeps you Reason…Able.
- Continuous Learning: Stay informed and adaptable. Evolve. Take courses, and workshops and read extensively. Growth and constant improvement should be your allies and travelling companions.
We humans have the unique power to understand and reject the conventional game of life. Embrace this power of choice, and create a life that is uniquely yours. We only get one shot at the game, but you get to set the rules.
Remember: Action on insights, is the Answer.
Thank you for reading.
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur or life hacker trying to fast-track your success drop me a follow @thesnowhow for more growth-related content. And if you enjoyed this, it would help massively if you shared or commented. Thanks again.
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