Macro-Maxxing
A Summer in Auckland, I couldn’t think of anything better after I accepted my internship role in August last year.
Not just because of the big city life appeal, but Auckland is a place I have an undefined presence in. Over the Summer I was immersed in new experiences, new people, and a lot of fun.
Amongst the new things I tried, Chess became a quiet addiction. From chess at work, to Chess.com, then to reading chess books, I was obsessed. I struggled to improve initially but as my focus shifted from “move-to-move” to building positions, I pushed 500 rating points in two days!
This is a prime example of shifting thinking from the micro to the macro.
Chess is something we think of as a game, but really everything we do in life can be framed as a game. Social dynamics, career, hobbies, philosophy, all of these can be framed as games. Over the past year my thinking has broadened massively and with it I have subconsciously moved from obsessing over micro habits to focusing on the over arching ideas behind why I do what I do (macro-thinking).
Alike my chess ability, the aspects of my life have taken upwards trends as this shift of focus has been implemented.
Chess was a vessel to identify this novel change in thought that has become defining. The shift from obsessing over wake-up times, productivity systems, and books read, to deriving my own approaches by exploring possibilities has been incredibly rewarding.
This idea of exploring for yourself points back to being an individual, thinking for yourself.