LXXXIII. Your Life is a Game
The game of life.
“Gently guide fortune and help determine the future by thinking far ahead.” — Robert Greene
Billiards is my favorite way to decompress. Over the years, the table has become more than just a game—it’s taught me how to live.
See, you have to gently direct the ball. That takes precision, emotional control, and a clear objective. If you don’t know what you’re aiming for and how to get there, you’ll miss. Seneca said it best,
“Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind.”
If you let frustration take over, you’ll strike too hard and overshoot—even when the target was right in front of you. It’s like forming a circle with your food before microwaving it, so it heats evenly and quickly, instead of blasting it on high and hoping for the best. The same principle applies to life: direction, self-mastery and an efficient process matter more than effort. So, it’s wise to approach life as Epictetus said,
"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."
Occasionally, you must clear the confusion. When your balls are clustered, when progress feels stuck, you…
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