Life is like a Puzzle

Life is like a puzzle and it has the same guiding principles of putting together a jigsaw puzzle which is very much like trying to achieve a big goal, start and grow a business or tackle any big project. First off, when you first open a new 1000 piece puzzle and dump all the pieces out onto the table the whole task just looks daunting and overwhelming. So you question even starting the task seeing the enormity of the task ahead, that’s the same feeling you get when you start a new business or begin a new big project or declare a new big goal.

It suddenly feels too daunting and overwhelming and that is when most delay or procrastinate or push off the idea altogether, but you have to just dive in and start flipping over all the pieces and sorting them out into more manageable pieces. The same way you start any other major project.

The next step is to?figure out what image you’re putting together, imagine dumping 1000 pieces out on a table without an accurate and clear picture of what the end product is supposed to look like it would be impossible to put it together. But that is how most people start a business or a goal or a project, they don’t have a clear picture of what success is, what the end product is supposed to look like and then they wonder why they can’t find the right pieces to their puzzle right.

Another factor I found is that the end picture has to be interesting to me. If I’m going to spend all this time studying the intricacies of all the little parts and pieces, I better at least really enjoy the picture that I’m building. Most of the people who work in jobs or even have businesses that they are actually not that interested in. If you have to spend your time putting something together you might as well spend it on something that you’re inspired by.?

Here are some tips to put together the great puzzle of life?

Build the Border First: Boundaries create order and provide a sense of security on achieving goals. This is setting up your achievement management system, the planning, the prioritization, the key metrics and tracking systems to give you the framework to operate within.

You can only work on one piece at a time: Too often we are trying to do too much at the same time. It is important to remember that we can do anything but not everything, if we are trying to do everything and try to get everything done we will get very little done and we will be stressed. All along the way puzzles like life have to be focused one piece at a time.

Don’t force a fit when you think a certain piece should go together: You want them to go together but if you force them together it will ruin your entire puzzle, your entire goal, your entire vision.?

This is true of forced relationships, jobs, hobbies or lifestyles or trying to force teammates or force your children into certain sports or force them to learn in a certain way that doesn’t fit for them.?

Interestingly, some pieces that don’t look like they go together end up doing so. Some pieces that don’t look like they go together actually do so. What you are looking for doesn’t always look like you would expect it to look and the same is true for life. Catastrophes can also be solutions, problems and challenges can be the catalysts that lead to entirely new possibilities.

Sometimes you have to take a different perspective: Every once in a while you might want to get up and look at the puzzle from different vantage points, it provides a clearer perspective on the big picture. Sometimes you have to step away entirely, take a break, go for a walk. It will be easier to see solutions with a fresh pair of eyes, everything will look different when you return to the problem.

You’re gonna want to quit:?You’ll be tempted at some point to just quit but don’t. As in life sometimes you get into a groove and things progress quickly. It is so exhilarating to have one success after another but when it slows down it’s not as easy to continue just keep moving forward just one piece at a time.

The joy is in the journey not the finish line: I thought happiness and joy would be at the finish line, so I would rush through trying to complete a goal stressing myself out all along the way. Goals like jigsaw puzzles once you complete it the fun is over, sure you might step back and sit there for a day or two while you glance at it and feel proud, but to have fun again you have to clear this space for a new puzzle.?

The joy is in the journey it’s in the building process not in the completion not in the finish line and life is really one big puzzle, as soon as you die the pieces are all dismantled put back in the box and back on the shelf and in an urn or six feet under the ground and all your stuff goes to goodwill. In other words you better find joy in the journey because that’s all you’ve got, once you complete the journey the fun is over and you end up in a box.

So friends, what puzzle making tip was the most important reminder for you here; build your borders first, to work on only one piece at a time, don’t force a fit, take a different perspective, you’re going to want to quit or the joy is in the journey.?

What tip you’re going to carry with you into your day ahead and share in the comments below.

Best Regards

Arjun Vijeth

Peak Performance Coach

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