Life is not a zero-sum game

Life is not a flat-course race; it's a maze. You can't fall behind!

Life is not a zero-sum game
Life is not a flat course race, it's more like a maze: you can't "fall behind" Photo by Susan Q Yin / Unsplash

I feel like tackling a few self-limiting believes over the next few weeks. This is post one of five and it's inspired by a book I'm reading. When You're Ready, This Is How You Heal by Brianna Wiest

In a zero-sum game, one person's gain is exactly balanced by another's loss. But life, contrary to what our self-limiting thoughts might tell us, doesn't play by these stark and rigid rules.

The Myth of Perpetual Hardship

The self-limiting pattern I'm addressing today is the idea that life is inherently hard, and good fortune is merely a setup for the next disaster. It's a mindset that many of us—myself included —can get trapped in without even realizing it.

Personal Anecdote: A Lesson in Control

Allow me to share a slice of my own experience. My corporate job has recently undergone a strategic shuffle, of which, unusually for me, I have not been a part of the core decision-makers. I've noticed my response hasn't been my finest—instead of concentrating on what I can control, I've been in 'waiting mode', anticipating negative outcomes. This is a classic example of the self-limiting thought pattern in action.