Most people you know are not aware that life is a game meant to be won. That’s why you see them feeling stuck, tired, and bored. By the end of this newsletter, not only will you understand the purpose of the game, but also the rules and how to win it too.

Understanding the Game

Life is a strategy game.

You don’t even choose to play the game to begin with. You don’t choose your character or the location where you drop onto the map. The good news is, you can customize your character as you progress.

The goal of the game:

To use the resources you have at your disposal to build a life you’re proud of. This is your responsibility and yours alone.

Life is a singleplayer game with cooperative quests. You’re born alone, and you’ll die alone. There are quests where multiple players are needed, but ultimately, it’s your decision on how you play.

Time, Money, and Relationships

The key to winning

Is simply managing your resources. Time is your most valuable resource; protect it and leverage it for long-term fulfillment, because it’s the only resource that cannot be replenished.

Money, relationships, and health also play important roles later in the game, along with your ability to sacrifice for the greater good.

Your Childhood: The Tutorial Stage

Think about your life growing up—your childhood was your tutorial stage. You didn’t have much input; you absorbed the culture, behaviors, and environment like a sponge. This is where your version 1 software was installed.

But here’s the problem:

The game is rigged against you. Every child is trained by their parents for a world that’s one generation out of date. That’s the catch with the tutorial—you get a general idea of life, but nothing concrete.

Small Choices, Big Impact: Who You Play With Matters

Your peers influence your destiny.

Small choices shift your destiny as you figure out who you are. The seat you choose in class, for example, decides your life. Why? Because we become just like the people we play with.

Your mom always said: “Don’t play with the kid who eats dirt.”

For as long as you live, you’ll be the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.

Life After School: From Linear to Open World

Once you finish school, life changes from a linear game to an open-world one. You’re now free to explore, but not every place offers the same opportunities for growth. Since life is a strategy game, managing resources is key. Different locations will offer varying ease of progress.

The World is Full of Opportunities

Lucky for you,

The version of life you’re playing now has an abundance of opportunities, walkthroughs, and tutorials. There’s so much information out there specifically designed to increase the quality of your life by focusing on the five pillars: money, health, intellect, emotions, and relationships.

Your Strategy to Win: Learn from Others

Everyone is playing the same game, but with slightly different quests. The way you play changes once you realize others have won the game before you—and you can learn from them.

In your early stage,

The game focuses on building experience—farming XP to level up. As you progress, more narratives open, and you become a stronger player.

Side Quests vs. The Main Storyline

There are plenty of mini-games along the way—sports, entertainment, dating, traveling —but don’t mistake side questsfor the main storyline.

Incremental Progress: How Life Mimics Video Games

In video games, the objectives are clear:

First, talk to this person. Then, go there, defeat the dragon, and return for the reward. Life is similar—the difference is, it won’t tell you what to do next. That’s your job.

Everyone Knows the Rules, but Few Follow Them

The truth is, everyone knows exactly what they should be doing to win the game of life. But unlike video games, you can’t speedrun through or change the difficulty setting. Time only moves forward, and there are no respawns. So don’t screw it up.

The Two Laws: Physics and Society

Life’s main rules are divided into two categories:

1. The Laws of Physics

2. The Laws of Society

Ironically, skin matters in this game, which ties back to the societal rules we mentioned earlier.

Challenges Are Tests for Leveling Up

The harder the challenges you face, the higher the level you’re on. If you can’t solve a problem, it means you don’t have enough experience or resources to overcome it yet. So, either go back to farming for resources or check a tutorial.

Responding to Challenges: Choose Wisely

Whenever a problem arises, you have two options:

1. A solution

2. A distraction

Whichever you choose becomes a keyboard shortcut in your future decisions. Choose carefully—distractions will not get you to the top of the mountain.

Self-Confidence

Confidence is key in life.

Those who believe they can win usually do. The more action you take, the more rewards will follow. Don’t fantasize, don’t complain—neither will move you forward.

Skills Are Everything

Focus on skills, because they multiply, not add. The right combination of skills is incredibly powerful.

Winning the Game of Money

Money becomes one of the most valuable resources. Figure out money, and all other money challenges are taken care of. It’s hard to get rich working for someone else, so start a business.

Trade your time for money in the early stages, but invest wisely once you get it.

You win the game of money when your investments generate more money than you need. From this point on, you’re free to do as you please.

Before and After Kids

Children change the dynamic of the game. Time and energy suffer, and personal development slows. Ideally, solve day-to-day mechanics before starting a family.

Stay Solution-Oriented

Pessimism is the easiest game to play. Just point at everything and label it bad and unchangeable. Congrats, you’ve just wasted your time.

Consistency is Key

Those who keep playing get better at the game, whether it’s dating, making money, or going to the gym. Be consistent—time is your most valuable resource.

Act with Urgency: Time Moves Fast

Certain quests are available only at specific times, so act now. And remember: Time flows differently—10 years between 25 and 35 feel shorter than 4 years between 14 and 18.

Enjoy the Game: It’s Supposed to Be Fun

Even if life is a competitive hierarchy, you can still enjoy the game. Play with people who make you happy—it’s much more fun when you’re surrounded by good company.

NPCs Are Part of the Journey

Be kind to the NPCs (non-playable characters) in your life. They make the journey more pleasant, and how you treat them will determine how smooth your road ahead will be.

It doesn’t matter what others do. Remember:

Every player dies after about 29,000 days (80 years). You get one chance to play, so make it count.

Decide When You’ve Won the Game

You only win when you decide that you’ve won. Otherwise, you’ll spend all your time chasing a finish line that doesn’t exist.

You can have anything you want in life, but not everything. Be specific, figure out the cost, and be willing to put in the work.

Cheers,

Jonas