Playing for the Yahtzee in Life!

Yesterday we had very strong winds that kept us boat bound in the evening. It was almost like curling up by the fireplace on a cold winter night. Almost. Except for the continual rocking of the boat. We spent the evening playing cards and Power Yahtzee on board the boat with the family.

I’ve played Yahtzee before, but not Power Yatzee. My son-in-law, Josh, who brought the game explained the rules to us throughout the game, as it required more strategy then just plain Yahtzee. He said, “Remember the name of the game is Yahtzee, so that’s the goal each turn.” On each turn, we’d roll the dice, look at what we had and try to make it fit into one of the categories- two pair, chance, three of a kind or whatever.

Josh was patient in teaching the game to us, but after our continual attempts to make what we rolled fit into one of the categories rather than going for the Yahtzee each time, he reminded us a second time that the name of the game is Yahtzee and that’s the goal of each turn. I stopped and said, “Wow, this is just like life!”

How many times do we look at what’s in front of us and say, “Oh, I’ll just take that as my two pair, or as Chance”, rather than scoop it all back up and go for the Yatzee? What if, just for today, we remembered the name of the game is LIFE! In other words, go live it!

Imagine if each day regardless of the “roll” in front of us, we either improved on the dice in front of us by rolling just a few, or we tossed them all back in the shaker and re-rolled the whole day, remembering that the name of the game is Yatzee, not two pair- or LIFE, not just existence.

It really changes the whole name of the game for me. My entire strategy changed for playing the game, just the same as my strategy for the day changed when I think of this as LIFE too. Instead of being cautious and trying to get the bare minimum, I’m going for the Yahtzee each and every day.

What do I have to lose in doing this and it playing life in this way? I didn’t win the game of Yahtzee but it was a lot more fun than playing cautious. I played full out and went for the goal. When I get caught up in the drama of life and lose focus of the goal, I try to remember that I’m not here to play for two pair. I’m here for the Yahtzee each and every day. It takes away the pressure to win, makes the game more enjoyable and somehow makes the entire game of Life just a bit more fun.

So, what are you going for today, two pair or the Yahtzee?