Life lessons brought to you by Sudoku

By the end of this article, you will understand how Sudokus embody the lessons of:

Engagement

Gradual Improvement

Sharpening Your Saw

Patience

Holistic, Integrated Strategy

AND

Alignment.

More importantly, you’ll realize the importance of leveraging these lessons ASAP.

But first things first.

For those who aren’t familiar with Sudoku – a Sudoku is a 3×3 square.  Each of its nine squares are comprised of nine individual squares.  Each of the nine larger squares must contain the numbers 1-9, without any repeats.  Across the nine squares, the rows and columns must contain the numbers 1-9 as well, without any repeats.

When you look at the Sudoku itself, as a combination of the nine larger squares and each of their nine individual squares, you see the numbers 1-9 in each of the nine squares, as well as the numbers 1-9 along the sides and through the middle of the Sudoku.

Depending on difficulty level, the Sudoku will provide you with fixed numbers already placed in the Sudoku, as constraints that guide your strategic decision-making in placing your numbers to fit the individual square and the Sudoku as a whole.

Your approach, or strategy, to aligning the numbers within and across the larger squares, represents your level of engagement with the Sudoku itself.  Without your engagement, the larger squares, smaller squares, and numbers themselves are meaningless.  The value-add comes from connecting the numbers within each individual large square and across the collective large squares.  When you align the numbers with each of the nine large squares in mind, as well as the overarching connectedness between squares, you complete the Sudoku successfully.

When completing a Sudoku, you may find yourself unable to fill in a number after several minutes of contemplation.

Yet, when you return to that Sudoku the next day, you almost immediately input three or four numbers that come to you, based on your follow-up analysis.

As you work towards completing the Sudoku, you occasionally hit a road block.  Although most of the Sudoku is completed correctly, you may find that one misplaced number has made your Sudoku unsolvable.  And you’re left with two choices: 1) throw up your hands and give up, or 2) erase all your numbers and start over.

Most other times, you complete the Sudoku successfully as a byproduct of strategizing your attack and aligning the numbers within each square, and across squares, as you complete the Sudoku.  This continual alignment prevents future road blocks.

When you complete a Sudoku, you feel a sense of accomplishment and approach the next Sudoku with a little more confidence, momentum, and diligence.  The more Sudokus you complete, the more confident and intentional you become.

And for those who are inspired to tackle a Sudoku after this discussion – depending on difficulty level, you have to be creative with your Sudoku!  Sometimes, when the next number isn’t popping out to you, you have to consider the remaining numbers that may or not fit within an individual large square, based on the remaining numbers required to complete other squares and connecting rows/columns.  You have to think holistically and consider alternatives that offer you solutions within and amongst your squares.  Through this type of integrated thinking, you can conquer any Sudoku that you encounter.

Sudokus will teach you many lessons.

The power of engagement (connecting the small squares with the larger squares).

The brilliance of gradual improvement (using every Sudoku to improve your skills).

The value behind sharpening your saw (putting down a challenging Sudoku, taking a break, and picking it up later).

The virtue of patience (sometimes it takes a while for the next number to come to you).

The importance of holistic, integrated strategy (some numbers require deeper thought and implicit connection to other numbers, squares, and rows/columns).

The need for alignment (individual squares, large squares, and across multiple large squares).

And, above all else, Sudokus may teach you how much you enjoy and crave these lessons …

… especially when you step back and count how many Sudokus you’ve done over the last week.

Sudokus can be addictive – as are the many lessons that they instill. 

Let this addiction to self-improvement, and self-awareness, drive you towards massive action and success 🙂