13 things I learned in chess (that can be used in business and everyday life)

At 46 years old, I knew nothing about chess. And I thought it was too late to start. 

I never thought a game could teach me so much about life and business.

And yet…

13 things I learned in chess (that can be used in business and everyday life)

Start with the end in mind. 

As a beginner player, I sometimes move my pieces and forget my final goal. Isn’t what happens in so many lives?

Writing down my “life plan” and reviewing it regularly has improved my life.

Learn to recognize opportunities. 

It becomes easier to recognize chances when you have the “End In Mind.”

Every time I pursue a goal in life, I feel like luck is helping me. In fact, I am just more focused, and therefore I see them better. The possibilities are always there. 

Respect differences and work as a team. 

The queen has incredible abilities, but she is only at her best when well surrounded. Every piece, including the pawns, plays a vital role. 

Respecting differences and knowing how to make them work together is key to winning. 

A course of transformation. 

If he manages to pass all the obstacles, the pawn has the choice of his new status. He can even become a queen. 

We are all pawns who have the power to reshape our lives. 

Making fewer mistakes is a key to success.

Charlie Munger said, “It is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent.”

Patience is an incredible virtue.

It’s one of my most significant flaws. Chess is an excellent way to develop it. 

The spiral of bad decisions. 

I always remember this incredible story described by Joshua Waitzkin in his book “the art of learning.”

A woman is crossing a dangerous intersection. She makes a mistake and doesn’t see a bicycle that avoids her at the last moment. In a mixture of fear and anger, she yells at the bike and fails to see a cab coming full speed and running her down. 

When you make a mistake, you lose your composure and tend to make a much bigger blunder. 

Chess offers hundreds of opportunities to practice dealing with this negative spiral. 

Creativity. 

The options are endless. You always have the opportunity to surprise by thinking differently. 

Learn to manage your emotions. 

In chess, defeat is inevitable no matter what your level. Learning to manage it better helps you face the disappointments of everyday life. 

A path to self-analysis. 

Chess players take notes during their games. It allows them to analyze them afterward. What is a journal? A way to capture your emotions, understand your behavior, and try to improve it.

Continuous improvement. 

If you want to progress in chess, you must study and try to improve every day. Isn’t it the same thing in life? 

Character.

The game reveals your personality. Am I an attacker or a defender? I can lose and enjoy a game where I have settled into a style that represents me well. Am I doing what I love in my life?  

The game is never over. 

We remember those mythical scenes in Rocky , where he was losing during all the rounds, and he draws on his last resources to knock out his opponent. 

In chess, as in life, you can reverse a situation until the last moment…

What did you discover while learning a new subject? 

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2021, A year in reading. My 8 books to implement new ideas in real life.