Having a chess perspective to life can give you a big advantage over regular folks.
But have you ever paused and wondered – how can you use your chess perspective in different areas of life?
That’s precisely what you’re going to discover in this article.
Let’s jump right in!
1. Developing a sharp sense of empathy
At Victorious Chess Academy, we show the games of 2 world champions, Anatoly Karpov and Tigran Petrosian, to teach students an important chess concept.
That concept is prophylaxis! It’s a skill to foresee your opponent’s threats, plans, and strategies well in advance.
Any good player can add this skill into their game.
In life too, you can use the prophylaxis of chess to understand the other party’s world view. Whether it’s a disagreement with a friend or resolving a conflict, striving to see the situation from the other party’s point of view can lead to more effective communication.
It also enables empathy, reduces conflicts, and fosters stronger relationships.
2. Learning from painful setbacks and failures
As a chess player, you’ll understand that losing a game isn’t a failure. Rather, it’s an opportunity for growth. You can analyze your games, especially losses, find out your mistakes and learn.
Over a long time, this is how improvement happens.
You can apply this same approach when faced with life’s setbacks. Instead of viewing setbacks as insurmountable, see them as learning opportunities.
Bad grades in exams means there are subjects you didn’t understand that well. So you need to pay attention next time you study them.
For a majority of people, they don’t go through this ‘setback training’ that most chess players face. So by adopting a chess perspective here, you’re equipping yourself with the tools to bounce back from setbacks more effectively than normal folks.
3. Adapting to change fast
World’s top 10 in chess in 1990 looked very different from the world top 10 in 1995.
You might wonder why? In his excellent book, ‘My Great Predecessors’ Kasparov shared an interesting reason behind that.
Chessbase, a database software, had just been launched during that time. And it drastically changed how chess was studied.
Those who adopted the new technology entered the top 10. Those who didn’t were thrown out of it.
The same thing applies in life. Technology and skilled people move fast. And to stay on top of your game, you need to adapt to change. And adapt fast.
So stay sharp, and don’t be afraid of embracing new ideas and technologies.
Final thoughts
Life, like chess, is full of challenges. But with a chess perspective, you can confidently navigate much of what life throws at you and prepare yourself for success.
Just remember to apply what you learn from chess into your life.