When I was a young man, I considered success to consist of fame, fortune, and other materialistic endeavors.

In reaching a milestone in age this year…

and in reflecting back, it’s amazing how that definition has changed over time.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, flashy things that society and modern media screams at you to strive for would still often be fun to have.

But now, when I define success it has a lot more to do with having a great relationship with my future wife, raising a healthy family, and accomplishing things that help people and contribute to society as a whole.

How do you define success in your life?  Do you have to run a marathon?  Become a millionaire, or a billionaire?  Date a super-model?

I would never seek to put myself in the position to judge your definition of success.  You are free to decide what your life is about, and what makes you feel satisfied.

All that said, a helpful thing in this regard is to consider your deeper motivations.

Why is that important, and what do I mean by that?  Let’s go deeper.

When you choose a goal, it’s critically important to ask and answer the question about why you want that thing, because often times, you might be pursuing a goal that is outdated and not in line with your current values.  There could be a multitude of other, more important things right under your nose that you’re not thinking about, and that could make you feel just as happy with much less work.

An example here might help to provide some context.

Say, for instance, the only thing you’ve ever wanted is to become a billionaire.

Why do you want that?

What is it that drives creates that drive within you?  Do you just want the money to have the money?  Or is it more of an external motivation?  Maybe you want to prove someone wrong, or make someone jealous.  Were you jilted by a former lover, and you want to rub it in their face?   Maybe you have a nobler motivation, and you want to build and develop an organization to help people, and you think that getting that money first is the only way to make that happen.

Let’s isolate and examine those two drives for a minute.

Life is very short.  If your lifelong goal is based on making someone jealous you’re going to be neglecting a lot of things that could make you happy in the present moment.  If someone doesn’t love you, there are millions of other people who will love you, without you having to try so hard.  And even with that, if they don’t love you for you who are, they aren’t really going to love you if you’re a billionaire.

Or let’s look at the motivation of building an organization to help people.  If you wait until you’re wealthy to make this happen, there are a lot of people who you will not be able to help for many years while you’re working to achieve your great wealth.  Often, it could make a lot more sense to simply start helping those people now, learn how non-profits work, and steadily work to build that organization that you want to build from the ground up.

I think the point here is that a lot of the things you want to achieve are available to you in the present moment, and by closely examining your motivations you can take a hybrid approach, and accomplish multiple things at the same time.

The post Motivations appeared first on Wisdom and Strategy.

Morning Friends,

While writing this post, I’m on the couch sipping on some delicious Starbucks Pike Place Coffee courtesy of my apartment’s single cup touch screen coffee machine.  I’ve tried all variations of Starbucks coffee…

And while I know there are better coffees out there, this is one of my favorites.

Also, since my apartment provides it, it’s basically free.  So there’s that.

From looking at my weather app on my phone, it’s 62 degrees right now, and it should be up around 70 this afternoon.

Not bad for a Texas morning.

Today, I’m thinking about something close to my heart.  It’s a topic I only recently considered covering in this blog in any depth, and I’ve been hesitant to do so.

Video games

Why the hesitation to write about Video games?  Well, when I first started this blog,  the high-priority topics were life hacks and self-improvement. As it’s evolved, its become more of  a lifestyle-type writing experiment.  That, and I haven’t written anything since last April, so I’ve some time to think about it’s direction.

Wisdom and Strategy is still about these things, and I expect to have more posts up on these topics soon.

The thing that occurred to me is, I have been playing video games on and off for many years (a lot more in my jr. high school years, actually, at which time a few titles had a lot of impact).  Video games really are an enjoyable pastime, and I think that they’re fine, and surprisingly worthwhile in moderation.

A cool thing here too is that contemporary video games continue to get better.  Nowadays, a lot of them are like immersive cinematic experiences, many with profound plot-lines and character development that resonates long after the games are done.

All this to say, the plan going forward is that this topic, among others will be fun to write about, and we can certainly discuss some value-added self improvement type content along the way.

When I think about great video game story-lines and character development, one of the first series that comes to my mind is the Fallout series.  Fallout New Vegas is literally the best game I ever played, and was the reason I bought a Playstation 3 back in 2011.

The story in this game which centered around a courier seeking out the man who shot him, and ultimately saving the wastelands was endlessly compelling and thought provoking.

Along with this, some fantastic old music on the soundtrack such as Johnny Guitar by Peggy Lee and Big Iron by Marty Robbins provided a lot of extra depth and emotion to the whole experience.

Once that game was finished, I picked up Fallout 3 a number of months after.  That game was also really good, and although it didn’t quite rank up there with New Vegas, it was still a lot of fun.

A few years later, I bought Fallout 4 and a Playstation 4 soon after starting a new job.  This was also a good game (and still better than most), but it seemed a few steps down from the third installment, and significantly lower on the hierarchy than New Vegas.

After waiting patiently a few years for a follow up game, I jumped on the eagerness bandwagon with a lot of other fans when Todd Howard talked about the release of Fallout 76 at the E3 event in 2018.  The trailer they showed that day was incredible.  Along with the accompanying Country Roads theme song, and how Mr. Howard stated the world, set in West Virginia, would be “four times the size of Fallout 4” I was very intrigued.

Over next couple months, I began hearing some concerning reviews about the game.  I think people really really wanted to like it it.  Unfortunately, though, it seemed that many didn’t.  Because of this, I didn’t just rush in to buy it.

A few months after that, I noticed the price had been lowered, which was rare for a game of this stature.  For this reason, and the fact that I had some Best Buy gift cards, I decided to take the plunge and make the purchase.

After opening the box, putting the disk into my PS4, and firing up the system, I realized I needed to subscribe to the PS4’s online Playstation Network in order to run the game.  I didn’t realize this at the time as I’d never played a multiplayer game before on this console.

I figured that since I hadn’t actually paid money for the game, I could justify paying for a few months of the Playstaion Network subscription fee.  I mean, if was a good game with a lot of plot and content, and a world “four times the size” of Fallout 4, I reasoned that I wound’t need to buy any other games for the next year or so.

I started playing, created my character including particulars such as face, body type, sex, etc. and worked my way out of the vault into the wide open world.

My first impression was that the world was really beautiful and realistic looking.  It seemed a lot more vivid than the other worlds.  I was delighted to learn that there are a lot of buildings and disheveled structures to explore.

Unfortunately, that’s where the important similarities ended for me.

Speaking about the beautiful world, I did notice some bugs – Places where the physics didn’t work just right.  Examples where figures were suspended in mid-air for no reason.  I haven’t experienced any issues where the game would crash, but I did hear that others have had that problem.

The sound and music are good, and engaging, although it doesn’t appeal to me as much as the New Vegas music did, and is a bit dry comparatively.

I’m new to the multi-player experience, and while it is fun to be able to talk to other players, it seems that there not a lot of players on one server at a time, so good collaboration and team up adventures are few and far between.  Also, a lot of the folks I encounter are just mean, and start shooting right away.  So much for being a team player.

One of the things I really liked in Fallout 4 was the ability to build and design forts.  I didn’t put in as much time doing this as a lot of other players, but it was cool, and there as a lot of variety as to what you could do.

Fallout 76 has the fort-building option as well, and I can see a lot of potential for this.  The downside I discovered is that once you log out of the game, all of the work you put into a fort gets deleted, and when you log back on you no longer own that particular fort.  I’ve read that the way around this is to not log off, but I can’t see anyone but the most super hardcore gamers doing that.  My hope is that there is a work around for this, but as of right now, I haven’t discovered it.

One positive, I need to credit Bethesda (the makers of Fallout 76) with introducing me to the acronym “NPC,” which stands for non-player character.  Now, while Fallout 76 has NPC’s in the sense that there are characters you can fight – super mutants, etc., there are no NPC’s with which you can engage in dialogue, and none which push the plot forward (we’ll talk about the game’s plot or its lack thereof in a minute).  If this was most games, it wouldn’t be that big a deal.  But since it’s a Fallout game, and since my original impression was that it would be something of a hybrid RPG / multi player online experience, the lack of characters like this was a real bummer.

From what I can see thus far, there really isn’t an overarching plot in the game.  There are tasks to do – things like clearing out an area of enemies, testing water, searching for various objects, but no pre-designed plot.  There are recordings that you can listen to which other vault dwellers have left behind, but that’s it.  Again, this wouldn’t be that big of an issue, but the prior games had such great plots that I had some pretty high expectations of this game.

One thing that I’m really glad about is that you can make ammo in this game.  Fallout New Vegas had this option, and being able to make your ammo when you were down to your last few rounds was both helpful and it also added to the realism of the experience.

Along those same lines however, it appears that both weapons and armor have levels associated with them.  For example, in order to wear more advanced armor you need to have a higher level.  I can’t say I’ve ever encountered this in a game before and it’s pretty frustrating.

Why?

Well, I like to do some creative exploration in RPG’s and for me, this is one of the ways I can shorten the time it takes to win and get some more powerful tools to better interact with more powerful enemies.  With how things are currently, even if I go through the effort of getting these objects, I still cannot use them.  I’m currently at level 12, and I recently had an interaction with another player who gave me a level 35 gun.  I can’t use it yet.  With how long it’s taken me to get to level 12, I reason that it will be many more hours until I can get to level 35.  Ugh.

That’s about all I can comment on right now.  After writing the prior paragraphs I decided to go online again last night to try the game again.  I encountered a bunch of super mutants, and, because I could only equip low level weapons and armor, I died.  Again.

All this to say, I still think this game has a lot of potential.  My plan going forward it to probably play it a few more weeks.  After that, I’ll likely move on to a different game.

If you’re a Fallout fan, I would recommend buying the game, if for nothing else to get the experience and learn about this installment in the canon.  If you’re like me though, it will likely get a bit tedious after awhile, and seem like all you’re doing is scavenging through piles of refuse and redundancy.

Have you played Fallout 76?  What as your experience been so far?  Please leave your comments below, and we can discuss!

The post A Game Review: Fallout 76 appeared first on Wisdom and Strategy.

We spend a lot of time sitting near a screen: mindlessly watching shows, movies, playing video games, or with e-readers, reading novels of questionable quality – all things generally thought of as entertainment.

I can’t deny that I’m right in the middle of this demographic.  And indeed, it can be a nice, entertaining way to unwind, relax, and step away from the stress and static of the daily grind.

On the other hand, it’s arguable (and others likely agree) that time spent this way can be a big waste.

I’ve certainly thrown away more hours than reasonable parked in front of the TV watching lame movies, or reading bad literature and dime-a-dozen, business-card-style self-help books on my tablet.

Now, by viewing this activity from a different perspective and through making better media choices, could we find more enriching value in the time we spend this way?  Could we be learning nuggets of wisdom from all this screen-exposure and free-reading time?

Yes.

Stories are powerful.  Among other things, they can help you discover your true interests, provide direction, refresh the mind, generate ideas, introduce new possibilities.

Stories can, in certain cases, even bring hope, help overcome sorrow, and provide unique role models unavailable in the world of non-fiction.

By making a simple decision to consciously choose the stories you engage with, and deliberately looking for the lessons they contain, it’d definitely be possible to enjoy some of these benefits.

Early on, I didn’t consciously choose what I viewed or read.  However, I was lucky enough to get enthralled by a few particular stories that positively impacted my point of view, and, to a large extent, altered the direction of my life.

For example, for as long as I can remember I’ve always viewed my life somewhat like a quest.

Big events have significant meaning for me, almost as if they were destined or pre-ordained to happen.

Relationships are deep, profound, and special.

A certain circumstance acts as a key to unlock a greater, more challenging, more empowering set of experiences.  A higher power (or, God, as is the case in my belief system) has a plan.

It’s hard to say where this mindset came from for certain.

There’s a chance, however, that it may have been influenced to some extent by plotlines from some of my earlier media choices.

Let’s look at one example, and see what we can learn from it and how it applies.

Do you remember the first Zelda game for Nintendo?  The Legend of Zelda?  The Legend of Zelda is an action / story / roleplaying game released by Nintendo in 1986 and one that, for an 8-bit game, had a surprisingly compelling storyline, solid graphics and game play.

In this game, you play as Link, an elf who is charged with defeating the evil Ganon, and rescuing the princess Zelda.

This was the first quest-type game that I ever played, and it made a big impact on me.  I was about seven years old when it first came out, and I remember dedicating countless hours to rambling through the 8-bit forest, shooting fiery arrows, and wielding the glowing sword projectiles.

From my perspective, there was a key overarching theme communicated continuously throughout the game which echoed messages such as:

• You are important
• You have a destiny
• You must be strong
• Your actions have an impact
• It’s your job to look out for, and protect others
• You’re a hero – A hero takes a stand against evil

Now, to the impressionable mind of a seven year old messages like this can be very profound.

Additionally, it’s arguable that there were also even more practical messages in this game.  Towards an earlier part of the game, you encounter an old man who gives you a sword.  While giving it to you he states:  “It’s dangerous to go alone.  Take this.”

So, according to this cartoon man, it’s important to have everything you need before you embark on an adventure.

Fair enough.

This message may even have broader implications about how important it is to be prepared not only physically (by having the appropriate tools), but also mentally and emotionally as well.

A few other things that I potentially may’ve learned from this game were:

• Money Management.

The primary currency used in the game is the Rupee.  Throughout the game you collect them to buy things.   When playing this game as a kid, I think this was one of my earliest experiences with the process of making and spending money.  At the time, I remember my parents joking about how this game was teaching me money management.  In reality, they probably weren’t too far off.

• Persistence

In the game, if your character dies, you must start over.  I died repeatedly in the original.  This tested my patience without question, but I kept getting back on the horse, kept starting over, and eventually won.  Persistence like this is key in life, of course, as well as video games.

• Accountability

The original game had a special method of saving since it included a battery of sorts.  If I remember correctly, saving this game entailed holding in the reset button while turning off the power.  If you forgot to do this, you’d lose your progress.  In a sense, this taught accountability.  Making sure everything is in order before moving on to the next task, etc.

• Preparedness

A key part of this game is strategizing – knowing and selecting the right weapons to defeat a particular enemy, and having the proper equipment to survive.

Having the correct tools is of course essential in real life as well.  I would never go to work without my laptop, build a house without my hammer, or walk my small dog without his leash.

• Chivalry

During my time playing this game as kid, I learned that to save the princess you had to have the courage to stand up to evil, stay the course, and defeat the evil Ganon – Chivalry, for lack of a better word.

Chivalry is perhaps one of the most important lessons of this game.  In order to have both of these qualities, one must focus on doing the right thing, being a good person, and taking care of others.

Because this post is getting rather long, I will only include this one example.

From the things I observed in this example at the young age of seven, I’m quite certain that my time wasn’t wasted playing this game.  The value here was twofold, the content of the media, and the way it was considered.

We can selectively do this with all our media choices.  By doing so, we can make more valuable use of our down-time.

Incidentally, the thing that made me think about using this example was a recent shopping expedition I took with my girlfriend.  She asked that I go with her early (at the crack of dawn) to the store to buy the new Nintendo Switch, and the newest installment in the Zelda series for this console, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (the first day it was released).

After watching her play this new game for many, many… many hours, and also, in playing the game myself, I can say that I confidently recommend it.  It’s very well-done, challenging to play, yet not too hard, with a great story-line, and cool, unique graphics.

Additionally, I’d recommend the Nintendo Switch as well.  The portability of it is very convenient, and I’ve used it some on the plane, in the mornings while drinking coffee, or waiting for food to arrive.  I’ve included links (to pun intended) to both of these products below.

What are some value-added media choices that you’ve made recently?  What have you learned from these things?

The post The Life-changing Power of a Sweeping Narrative appeared first on Wisdom and Strategy.

I met a falconer.  We discussed the process of working with trained birds of prey, and I asked questions about the art.

For clarification, this post is a prelude to an upcoming post that will be written by someone with actual falconing expertise (by the way, I know “falconing” is not a real word, but I like it).  This individual had originally asked to write a post about our falconry experience, and I thought this was a great idea.  Additionally, I wanted to share my thoughts about the experience and some observations in advance. 

Falconry is an amazing skill.  Working effectively with these majestic and powerful animals requires keen leadership abilities. 

It’s a topic that falls right within our wheelhouse here at wisdomandstrategy.com. 

The falconer and the hawk work together to utilize strategic teamwork to seize opportunities while hunting:

·         Multiplying Power with Teamwork

What the falconer and hawk achieve is a synchronicity of power.  Among other things, the falconer provides direction, and the hawk offers movement capabilities.  Together, they accomplish things that they couldn’t by themselves.

Likewise, in business collaboration or personal relationships, it’s possible to achieve more together than apart.  It can be helpful to join forces with someone who sees our blind-spots or offers wise counsel in areas where we have little experience.

·         Paving the Way with Leadership, Vision and Execution

With these roles clearly defined, each team member can more fully develop said roles.  They can become leaders in their own spheres, and then share these visions to collectively achieve an even greater vision.

I think it’s clear how the falconer and hawk accomplish this together, so I won’t go into detail about this.

·         Observing the field from a high-level perspective

A hawk observes the field for its dinner.  It doesn’t strike at every mouse or rabbit that passes by.  It probably won’t strike at a creature with particularly strong defenses.  It actively waits for the perfect opportunity.

Likewise, in our daily pursuit of success we can look at the world through the eyes of hawk.  By doing so, we may start to see opportunities that were not visible before.  It’s similar to taking a broad, long term perspective and seeing how our time, resources, relationships best fit together.

·         Maintaining the optimum condition for action

When we see these opportunities, we will be prepared, because we have had time to prepare.  While we’re patiently waiting, we should also be actively be using our time to improve.

Reading, writing, developing our physical bodies or our emotional and spiritual resilience are all things that we can do while we’re patiently waiting for the next opportunity.

·         Moving assertively with precision and timing

When all of these factors coalesce we’re provided with a key moment of opportunity.  In fact, this idea reminds me of a quote from Sun Tzu. 

This quote is from Giles, Lionel, M.A. The Art of War. 1910

“The quality of decision is like a well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike…”

In summary, these are just some initial musings about my first falconry experience.  After my falconer friend includes their post, I’m hoping to offer some additional commentary and perspective.

The post The Strike of the Hawk: A Prelude appeared first on Wisdom and Strategy.