Summer 2014 September 17 Wednesday (If You Can't Win the Game, Change The Rules)

Summer 2014 September 17 Wednesday (If You Can’t Win the Game, Change the Rules)

73  Degrees this morning. 54:19  minutes walking. 4 Earthquakes (one 4.2) in last 24 hours. 

(Finished listening to audio recording of Thomas Piketty, “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” during walk this morning. Ended right as completed weights, which couldn’t have been more perfect.  Now looking forward to selecting another book to listen to during my morning walks)

I read an article today that stated “if you can’t win the game, change the rules”.   Obviously that caught my attention.

It seems to make sense, in a way.  Of course, you could say “if you can’t win the game, you’re in the wrong game”, or even “if you can’t win the game, who cares”.  etc.

Since the article I read said “If you can’t win the game, change the rules”, I’ll dwell on that for awhile. Not sure if I will have much to say about it yet (I just read this a minute or so ago), I do plan on thinking about it.

I know a lot of people who I think “changed the rules”, depending on how you define “changed the rules” and not “changed the game”.  Maybe there is no difference.  

I like the concept in a broad sense.  I think there are many cases where I “changed the rules” when I couldn’t win the game (or wasn’t interested in even playing the game), so the concept keeps getting a little vaguer, or maybe a little confusing.  

Of course this also is one of those times when someone might say I am missing the point if I dwell on the definition of “game”, “rules” and even what “change the rules” means.    

My conclusion (at this time, this is something I need to mull around in my head while exercising etc.) is that you “change the rules” by defining your own game as to what you want.  Therefore, you probably aren’t even playing the same game as someone else, so your performance or progress or even if you are “winning” may only depend on how you define what the game actual is and what winning actually is.

In my mind “winning the game” means doing what is important to you and not letting anyone else define what your game even is, much less the rules or if you won or not.

Looking back, I can see instances where I “changed the rules”, even “changed the game” and certainly times I didn’t even realize there were any rules, much less a game.   

I think my objective in the future will be to avoid being in any game I don’t want to be, recognizing a games if there is one, defining my own “rules” and even what “winning the game” is.  That is the only way to play it.

Well, that discussion certainly turned out different than I originally intended!  One of the reasons I love writing this blog.

I still like the concept of “changing the rules if you can’t win the game”.  I think it has a certain flair to it.

Head cold is just about through.  Still a few little reminders of it, but basically, thank goodness, I am almost back to normal.  

Completed a “field day” of training today after the “office day” of  training yesterday.  I realize I won’t know how much I actually know until I try it myself.  

One item I will need to emphasize is the need to document absolutely everything I do (officially that is).  The documentation of exactly what actions you take, who you  talk with (and why) etc. is new to me.  Since I understand the need for this documentation,  I think I will adjust swiftly to it.

One aspect I really like about it is that it is something different every day, I will have a “home office” and it will be enjoyable working “in the field” with people as part of the job.  Did I change the rules or the game, or did I just find the right game?  

That’s it for today, Wednesday, September 17, 2014