Is It More Important to Win or Have Fun? You Can Change the “Rules”

When you were little, do you remember how important it was to win whatever game you were playing with family or friends? I remember games like Go Fish, Clue, Scrabble, and Monopoly. As I got older (my 20s and 30s), winning became less important, but it was still the reason for playing. After my daughter started getting old enough to play, I wanted her to win.

Then one day I had an epiphany. My daughter was probably six or seven years old. She was getting frustrated with the way the game was going. As I watched her emotions build, I thought, “What’s the purpose of playing this game?” It hit me. This was supposed to be fun!! If we weren’t having fun, could we just stop playing and do something else? Was it legal to just quit a game before somebody won? I decided to give it a try. The result? My daughter and I were both happier!

I took this newfound freedom a step further. I became open to changing the rules of different games. Why can’t every turn in Pictionary be an “all play?” It’s no fun just sitting there and watching the other team draw and guess.

Yesterday, I had another epiphany. Could these same ideas be applied to life in general?? What if life is not about “winning” but instead is about having fun? And that we can stop or change those parts that aren’t fun? Are the “rules of success” that we’re taught meant to be shaped to our own needs?

I’ve heard from and read about people who’ve rediscovered their values and priorities during these days of immense uncertainty, social distancing, and working from home. Some have commented on how they actually want to keep some of the changes. Maybe for some, it’s living at a slower pace, spending more time with family, or finding more balance. For many of us, this is a time of reinvention. Why not reinvent a life that we like even better?

As we move through the next phases of “new normals,” what things could you stop or change to make your life more fun and enjoyable?