Activity Above All
There is an old saying in chess, “activity above all.” What does it mean? Roughly, it means that you aren’t going to win if you play small, sheepish moves. Spend your time slowly moving your pawns one square at a time and you’ll find yourself falling behind. Instead, chess teachers tell you to grab the center and move your good pieces forward. Even better to move multiple pieces, like the bishops and knights, in combination so your army overwhelms the enemy. If you want to win, you have to be active.
Life is much the same. Most of us want something big out of life. Maybe it’s having a family, or a fancy job, or owning your own business. Whatever it is, you probably can’t do it in small, conservative moves. You have to very deliberately use what you have to invest time and resources to make it happen.
This isn’t a formula for recklessness. It’s an admonition against passiveness. Get out there and live, don’t sit at home and wait. Only by getting out there and fully encountering the world can you “win” at the things you care about.
Bottom line: Chess is just a board game, but it has lessons to teach us all.
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