Thread by @BestInterest_JC

Life is a game.

Do you know the rules?

++THREAD++

Life has literal games and metaphorical games.

To succeed, you need to know the rules.

Then you can develop the right skills.

If you don’t know the rules, you won’t know which skills are important.

You’ll be playing the “wrong” game

Your skills won’t matter.

You’ll fail.

Worse, you won’t know why.

Lebron isn’t a chess grandmaster. Being a world-class athlete is not a chess skill.

Oprah isn’t a computer programmer, because empathy isn’t a coding skill.

Different games, different skills.

Lots of teens (myself included) played this game:

“I’m going to have an imaginary conversation with [insert crush]. And it will be totally amazing.”

That’s a bad game.

Those skills that shine in your head? They are useless in real conversation.

Chatting in the cafeteria is one game.
Chatting over text is another game.
Chatting on Tinder is further different.

Each requires a different skill to succeed.

If you want to get better at the “social skills” game, then practice with real people.

You might get things wrong. That’s ok.

That’s what practice is.

The corporate culture is a game. It has unique rules

Some are written down and obvious.
Some are unwritten and nebulous.

You might have to dress up.
…be proficient at certain tools.
…appease particular people (customers, bosses, etc)

Are you on-time every day and doing good work?

That’s great!

But if you aren’t seeing progress, it’s because you don’t fully understand the game.

“That’s not fair!”

Perhaps. Welcome to the game called Life!

You can complain about the rules,
Adapt to the rules.
Or fight to change the rules.

“That’s just luck…”

Sure, luck is involved.
But skill shines through.

Poker is a game of luck, and yet

“…the same five guys make it to the final table of the World Series of Poker EVERY YEAR. What are they? The luckiest guys in Las Vegas?"

Even Twitter is a game.

The rules reward you for interacting.
For being genuine (at least *appearing* to be genuine)
For writing smart Tweets.
Pictures increase engagement, too.

Etc.

Until you understand the rules of Twitter (which I’m still learning, btw), you might not understand why your other skills aren’t working here.

“I’m good with people in real life! But why not on Twitter?!”

First, it’s *great* that you’re social in real life. That matters.

But the rules of Twitter aren’t the same.

“He has 10K followers and I don’t? Bullshit!”

You’re missing something.
It’s obvious to everyone but you.
Find out what that is.

Learn the rules, adjust your skills, and conquer.

Last riff—saved the best for last.

Look at the games we played growing up.
Some skills still matter.
Others don’t.

Games that you played in school might not matter.
Games that you played with your parents might not matter

Dear Young Adults:

One of the best things you can do is understand:

• Which games have I played that don’t matter anymore?
• Which games was I never aware of that DO matter?

Your skills aren’t perfect. You have holes.
But you can—and should—improve.

Dear Parents:

One of the best things you can do is understand,

• Which games will matter the most in my children’s lives?

Then teach them skills that make them good at those games.

New games start, old games end.

The rules evolve.

And your skills need to, too.

That’s it, gamers. How do your skills stack up?

@threadreaderapp unroll

Thanks!