First, I want to thank everybody for their input from my last article “The Game That Teaches About Life”. The information on other areas of people’s lives that the lesson applies to has been very enlightening. The lesson, for those of you who haven’t read the article, is that it is often beneficial to pay more attention to defense than attack. So here is another article with more examples, and expansions on previous examples. But first, a more thorough introduction to the concept for those who didn’t read the first article:
Programmers have developed software to make computer chess games faster and more challenging. One of the most notable contributors is Richard Lang who revolutionized computer chess by coming up with a new algorithm for how the game makes its decisions. In his algorithm, he focused more on threats made to the computer than the attacks from it. This way computers were better able to analyze their positions, anticipate attacks and more effectively plan their game.
This out-of-the-box decision by Richard Lang – to put more emphasis on what the opponent is going to do to hurt your position than on what you are doing to beat them – is not only applicable in chess programs but it can also be applied in some areas in our day to day lives.
Business
I want to touch on business again, because the lesson is so very applicable in that aspect of our lives. Attracting customers and clients can be an uphill task which leads to business owners finding themselves preoccupied with outshining their competitors. This preoccupation can lead to forgetting internal factors that are the pillars that hold any business, such as finances, quality of services and products, staff treatment, integrity and ethics. Building on these factors makes a business more able to intelligently expand and outdo their competition.
Relationships
Many relationships crumble because people focus more on the weaknesses of the other party than on their own weaknesses. For example, if you ask someone why they broke up with an ex, they are likely to provide you with a list of what the other person didn’t do to meet their expectations.
According to Dr. Eva Salhub a doctor, author, and contributor to HuffPost, it is important to first focus on yourself before focusing on your partner to enjoy your relationship.
“In short, you want to get on the path to loving yourself. Do things for yourself that feels good, you radiate goodness. Everyone else wants to be around you and you do not lose yourself in relationships.” Dr. Eva Salhub
Socializing
Birthday parties, weddings, hikes, clubbing and house parties are all ideal ways to have fun. They help us unwind and relax away from our daily hustles. But many times, drinking or smoking are a part of these activities. These activities should be participated in with moderation – protecting yourself from their attacks on other parts of your life, such as hangovers, health ailments, addiction, depression, and loss of money. If not protected against, this “socialization” could take away from your internal peace and joy, which are very important.
Money
Successful people will tell you that taking risks where no one else dared was one of the major contributors to their success. As if to echo their message, you must have come across ventures that required you to take bold risks, such include investing in businesses, cryptocurrencies, the stock market etc. While some people have reaped numerous benefits from such, it is important to note that some have also experienced huge losses that have brought them down to their knees financially. This means that you should always be careful before investing your cash into anything. It is wise to first ensure your house is in order so that if the deal goes sour, your life will still go on smoothly. Do not just jump into an investment because it excites you.
“An Investment in Knowledge Pays the best interest” – Benjamin Franklin.
Generally, chess teaches you a lot of practical life lessons beyond simple strategy. Learning these lessons will improve your decision making in many areas of your life.
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