Life is not a strategy
Life is not a strategy. That’s something I learned in 2022, and it’s something that I think a lot of us forget from time to time.
We get so caught up in planning and strategizing and trying to control every little thing that we forget to live our lives and enjoy the ride.
Now, don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying that planning and strategizing are bad things. In fact, they can be incredibly useful tools for achieving our goals and achieving success.
But when we let our plans and strategies dictate our lives, we can lose sight of what’s really important — living in the moment, being open to new experiences, and enjoying the journey.
Earlier in 2022, I had the perfect trip to Italy mapped out. The places we’ll go, what we will do, the places we will eat at. And there was one place we had not planned anything for: Bologna. We had some of the best times of our lives. It was beautiful because it was unexpected. It wasn’t laid out, and we loved it.
Generally, your route is mapped out, your playlist is ready to go, and your snacks are packed. You’re excited to hit the road and see where the journey takes you. But then something happens — a traffic jam, a detour, or a flat tire. Suddenly, your carefully laid plans are thrown off course, and you must improvise and adapt to the situation.
At that moment, you have two choices. You can either get frustrated and upset and try to force your plans back on track, or you can roll with the punches and enjoy the unexpected twists and turns.
The first option might seem logical — after all, you’ve put so much effort into planning your trip, and you don’t want anything to go wrong. But the second option is the one that’s going to make your road trip more fun, more memorable, and more rewarding.
That’s what I mean when I say that life is not a strategy.
It’s not something that we can control or predict. It’s full of unexpected twists and turns, and it’s up to us to decide how we’re going to respond to those challenges. Are we going to get frustrated and try to force our plans on the world, or are we going to roll with the punches and enjoy the ride?
Of course, this doesn’t mean that we should throw our plans out the window and live our lives on a whim. That would be just as foolish as trying to control every little thing. Instead, what we need to do is find a healthy balance between planning and spontaneity, strategy, and adaptability.
One way to do this is to focus on the things that we can control and let go of the things that we can’t.
For example, we can plan our careers, budgets, and schedules, but we can’t control the economy, the weather, or other people’s actions. By recognizing the limits of our control, we can be more realistic and flexible in our planning and more open to new opportunities and experiences.
Another way to strike this balance is to set goals and priorities and be open to different paths and methods of achieving them.
For example, if your goal is to get fit, you might plan to go to the gym three times a week and follow a specific workout routine. But if that plan doesn’t work out for some reason — say, if the gym is closed or you get sick — you can still achieve your goal by finding alternative ways to exercise, like going for a walk or doing a home workout.
By being open to different paths and methods, you can stay focused on your goal without getting too attached to a specific plan.
Finally, the key to striking this balance is to stay present and enjoy the journey. Instead of getting caught up in the future or the past, try to focus on the present moment.
Enjoy the sights, sounds, and sensations of your surroundings. Appreciate the people you’re with and the experiences you’re having. And most importantly, have fun. Life is not a strategy — it’s an adventure. So let go of your plans, embrace the unexpected, and enjoy the ride.
In conclusion, life is not a strategy. It’s full of unexpected twists and turns, and it’s up to us to decide how we’re going to respond to those challenges.
By finding a healthy balance between planning and spontaneity, by focusing on the things we can control and letting go of the things we can’t, and by staying present and enjoying the journey, we can live our lives to the fullest and make the most of every moment.
So let go of your plans, roll with the punches, and enjoy the ride. After all, as the old saying goes, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
