The Game of Limitation

Life is just a big fat video game.  

It should be called "The Game of Limitations" or "World of Warcraft Limitations" or something like that.  Don't believe me?  Check this out.

If you haven't noticed yet, everything we do has limitations set on it, in it, or around it.  Seriously.  Name some things you'd like to do:


Exciting Possibility: I want to write a series of novels

Limitation:  But you must to work a day-job (8 hours a day with an hour commute) to house and feed your kids. When you get home you are cleaning, cooking, dealing with children.  You don't have the time!

Exciting Possibility: I would find true joy in traveling the world and seeing all the "mysterious sites" like the Sphinx in Egypt, Stonehenge in England, or pyramids of Peru.

Limitation:  You don't have the money to quit your job and buy a plane ticket to even one of these locations.

Exciting Possibility: I love entertaining, I love parties, I should open a night club or a party venue.

Limitation: You have no restaurant or event training and opening a party venue costs a lot of money -- which you don't have and have no idea how to get that much money.

Exciting Possibility: I love singing and I would love to perform for large crowds of people

Limitation:  You know getting into the music business and becoming a star is an impossible task, and most importantly, you don't have any contacts with people in the music business.

Exciting Possibility: I'd like to open my own business

Limitation:  You think you don't have any special talents or any product that customers would want to buy. You don't have any business training at all -- what are you thinking!

It all seems very depressing doesn't it?  

The world is at your feet and there are so many great things to experience,  but life and practical things get in the way and you don't have the time, resources or opportunity to explore life and the world fully. You come to realize quickly -- that sadly -- this world is about limitation.  Limits are forever placed around the possibilities and the opportunities you experience as a human being.

When you think about it, that doesn't make sense does it?  Why would this LIFE, this WORLD have all these possible experiences ready for you to explore and enjoy but intentionally put obstacles in the way so you can't explore or enjoy them?

What's up with that?



It all makes more sense when you realize that this world and the life you are leading is just a game.  A game called limitations and you elected be a player of this game.

The key to winning this game is not to dwell on all the limitations that could possibly stop you from succeeding in your goal. Which we have a notorious habit of doing . . . (see the Exciting Possibilities list above).

Here's the situation, no matter what you wish to do in life . . . there will always be a good reason not to do it.  That's the Game of Limitations.  But to play the Game of Limitations and win -- the player must  recognize, combat and break out from the limitations, and go for it anyway. 

That's the whole premise of the Game of Limitations.  You -- the player -- are suppose to go for what brings you the most joy, you are suppose to live your dreams despite the limitations and obstacles placed in the way of your true joy!  

Believe it or not, this is the game you elected to play -- it's a game that is supposed to strengthen your spirit and your soul.  It's to make you stronger, smarter, faster . . . wiser.  And you are in it to win it.  Guess what? You have all the tools to succeed.  Yes.  You do!

Life is like a video game.  Have you ever played one of those?  The point of the game -- the fun of the game  -- is to go up the levels of difficulty to gain the thing that you want (the reward).  What is the reward?  The reward is the joy that a purpose-filled life, doing the things you have always dreamed of doing, can give you.  

What produces that joy?  Well, it's different for every person.  

For me - writing -- is that joy. So in this game of life I am suppose to write, no matter what the obstacles laid before me that pushes me to not write.  And while I'm happily writing and sharing the thing that gives me the most joy in life . . . the game is going to put obstacles in my way.  What are these obstacles and challenges?  The usual stuff: an 8-hour job to pay the bills, housework, children needing to be cared for, problems from friends and family, a yard that needs attending, hygiene routines and sleep.  All the things that will deter me from doing the thing that I love doing most.  So, in the game I must meander through all these obstacles and still find a way to have my joy (my writing) in my life daily.

And here is where the game gets interesting --  the more successful I am at making sure that I write everyday . . . the more obstacles and challenges and "limitations" that will be placed in my way. 

Many people stop playing the game after they encounter the limitations.  They feel that there are too many limitations, that the obstacles are insurmountable which means they shouldn't do the very thing that brings them joy, the very thing that makes their life wonderful and full.  

When in fact all those obstacles and limitations mean that the player is simply graduating to a higher level.  You know what happens at the higher levels of video games, right?  At the higher level of the games, the obstacles get bigger, move faster, get harder to beat.  A good gamer expects this and carries on.  

What a good gamer also knows is that the tools -- the keys -- you need to defeat the limitations and obstacles are somewhere in the game, waiting for you to discover them so you can use them and get to the next level which has more reward, but even crazier limitations and obstacles.  But that's the fun part of the game, dude!  

I'm sure you've heard gamers talk about the "levels" that they have achieved and how crazy the limitations and obstacles are on that level.  But notice, they don't talk about it with dread -- they talk about it with excitement and the gamers at that are lower levels can't wait to get to the higher levels so they can experience the fun.  That's how we should be looking at the obstacles that we discover while we are participating in our highest joy, fighting to realize our greatest dream.  We need to realize it's simply a game and that this is the exciting part of our game -- and then help others by telling them where the keys and tools are when they get to that very exciting but challenging level of the game.

Don't let lack of money, lack of resources, lack of praise, lack of support, lack of time, lack of anything stop you from doing something that you love and gives you a positive joyful feeling about yourself and the world.  Don't let the Game of Limitation beat you!  You can do this and have fun doing it.  

Just look at it as a big old game. The better you get at the game the more limitations come at you. But the stronger and more successful you are as a gamer. Be excited about this!  All those obstacles, challenges and limitations simply mean you have reached new levels of reward! 

Seriously, life is all just a big video game!  And you my dears are my powerful and influential gamers ready to help me reach and conquer the next level.  

And just for fun . . .

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