Have you ever played Jenga? It is one of my favourite games to play. One day, I realised the suspense of carefully removing blocks without toppling the tower is a perfect metaphor for life’s delicate balance between work and personal commitments.
Just like Jenga, life isn’t always about perfect equilibrium because disruptions, setbacks, and challenges are inevitable. The unexpected twists and turns that can send your tower tumbling. I know most Jenga games end after the epic fall, but I’ve played with resilient people who simply restart the game after the fall. This has taught me that life does not end after a disruption, so just as you can rebuild a Jenga tower, you can also rebuild your life after setbacks.
Playing Jenga also taught me the importance of recognizing that threats don’t always mean the end of opportunities. Sometimes, the biggest challenges present the greatest chances for growth and success. No matter how tough the games get, sometimes there are blocks to move. Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back; instead, seek counsel from experts and mentors.
On the flip side, the presence of opportunities is not equal to the absence of threats. Most of the time, we are so focused on the opportunities, the easiest block to move, that we forget the threats. We miss the red flags in the opportunity, and we get hurt in the long run.
And let’s not forget the harsh reality: life often rewards us with criticism more readily than praise. Life does not always give you your flowers. Most players of the game know that you are very quick to get criticism from people when it all crumbles, even though they did not praise you when you played without the Jenga crumbling. But don’t let negativity deter you.
Life is a game, and like Jenga, it requires an appropriate balance of strategy, adaptability, and resilience. So, keep playing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep building your own tower of success. The next time you find yourself facing a challenge, remember the lessons of Jenga. Adapt to change and never give up on rebuilding your tower.