81–88 of 88 posts
So the question is why do you need thinking and reasoning - where are going to apply it, from this answer will depend everything else.
This might be a captain obvious-type answer...but have you thought about Chess?
One particular thing I learned from playing chess, which turned out to be applicable in business/office-environment, is the idea of creating "space" for yourself. It's a little hard to convey without making it seem trivial, but let's say someone is acting aggressively, you can sort of box them away from you a bit (in chess you would use pawns for this, in business any proxy will do) and give yourself space to operate…
When I was a beginner I always counterattacked. Now I see that that most attacks (and counterattacks) are built on insufficient foundations and assumptions; better to develop, create space, anticipate your opponent and build a plan. Of course, no plan survives contact with the enemy, but that plan is better than no plan, or imprecise aggression.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
exactly right. the only thing you get better at by playing a game is that game.
That seems like an overly strong claim. It's probably true for many games, where skill in the game leads to no meaningful skill or knowledge outside the game short other games with the same or similar mechanic. But that doesn't mean that games , universally, cannot have some value in imparting either knowledge or skill applicable beyond the game itself. Take Factorio, as a for-instance. Intended or not (I've never re…
Braid - shift how you think about time
Baba is you - change the rules of the game to win
I thought the idea that games can improve thinking and reasoning was debunked? Dedicating your life to chess doesn't mean they can put you in the general's chair and you'll be a military genius, just means you'll be good at chess.
I don't think it's so black and white. Past a certain point playing chess isn't going to help you with anything besides chess. But I think games can serve as an introductory tool - for example a game isn't going to teach you to be a SWE, but it can provide a more approachable way to gain some initial familiarity with programming ideas. Is a game the best way to learn or stay mentally sharp? Not when taken at face val…
This might be a captain obvious-type answer...but have you thought about Chess?
- Importance of overconfidence. If you think you can't lose, very often that belief will itself cause you to lose, as you get careless. Your opponent, meanwhile, is in a "fighting for their life" mindset and will often play surprisingly well. Similarly, when you play a weaker opponent, it's hard not to play carelessly.
- Working on your weaknesses. Anyone who gets really good in chess, has set out to find their weaknesses and fix them, one by one.
- The better the player, the more time they spend considering their opponent's next moves, possibilities, resources, plans, compared to their own.
- Accuracy of calculation. One slip during hours and it can all be for nothing. And also trusting yourself, not endlessly rechecking but calculating once (or twice!) and believing in your thought. Then when you do make a blunder, not dwelling on it but recovering quickly psychologically, starting afresh.
- Learning from defeat. To get better you study your losses and where you went wrong, get to know the characteristic mistakes you make and why, and do something about it.
For getting out of the "just follow instructions" rut and for the joy of exploration, I can't recommend Outer Wilds enough. Go in absolutely blind, don't look anything up if you can help it. You'll have to piece together the story from (sometimes pretty obtuse) clues, and you'll have to fly your ship through a quasi-realistic physics simulation. There's no real permanent failure states, and no real dead ends. I'd be…