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Exercise: Playing Your Hand Effectively, Identify Your Cards: 

Identify Your Cards:

Take inventory of the cards you hold, your current Gameboard, and what pieces you have access to. For now, you do not need to know what you will do with each piece of each card. Right now, simply list out everything you have and everything you are working with. Then, make a list of what you perceive you are missing or what you would like to acquire that would help your Game. 

Hand of Cards Inventory:
Write down the key elements of your current situation, including both positive and challenging aspects. This exercise helps you gain clarity on where you stand.
If life was a Game, what cards do you hold? What winning cards do you hold? How many do you hold? Are you missing any cards you need?

Gameboard Inventory:
What does your current Gameboard look like? What pieces are on the board? What pieces do you need to acquire? What pieces need to be moved or removed from the board? What card could you play next?

Assess Potential:
For each element, identify how it can be an advantage or how you can mitigate its impact. This analysis helps you see the potential in every situation.

Examples of “Cards”

Think of these as the resources and attributes you currently have in your "deck of life." These cards represent your strengths, assets, and tools you can use to achieve your goals. Below are examples of the types of "cards" you might have:

Resources

• Financial assets (e.g., savings, income, or investments).

• Question: How can you use your financial resources to invest in your future?

• Example: Allocating $100 a month to an online course or skill development.

• Time availability (e.g., free time to pursue goals).

• Question: How much time can you realistically dedicate to achieving your goals each day?

• Example: Setting aside two hours daily for personal growth.

• Physical resources (e.g., car, home, or equipment).

• Question: What physical assets could you use creatively to get ahead?

• Example: Using your car for side gigs like ridesharing or deliveries.

• Emotional resources (e.g., strong mental health, self-care tools).

• Question: How do your emotional strengths support your resilience in tough times?

• Example: Practicing mindfulness to manage stress during challenges.

Skills and Talents

• Communication abilities (e.g., public speaking, negotiation).

• Question: How can you leverage your communication skills to build relationships?

• Example: Offering to lead a presentation at work to showcase your expertise.

• Technical skills (e.g., digital marketing, coding, or graphic design).

• Question: How can you use your technical knowledge to create value for others?

• Example: Building a website for a friend’s small business.

• Artistic talents (e.g., painting, writing, or crafting).

• Question: How can your artistic abilities translate into a business or side hustle?

• Example: Starting an Etsy store to sell handmade items.

• Problem-solving or analytical thinking skills (e.g., strategic planning, data analysis).

• Question: What challenges could you help solve using your problem-solving skills?

• Example: Streamlining your team’s workflow by introducing new tools.

Personal Traits

• Confidence

• Question: When was the last time your confidence helped you succeed?

• Example: Speaking up during a meeting and earning recognition for your idea.

• Resilience

• Question: What difficult situations have you overcome that prove your resilience?

• Example: Bouncing back from a job loss and securing a better role.

• Adaptability

• Question: How have you successfully adjusted to unexpected changes in your life?

• Example: Transitioning smoothly from in-office to remote work.

Relationships

• Supportive family or friends

• Question: Who in your circle provides emotional or practical support?

• Example: A friend who gives constructive feedback on your business ideas.

• Mentors or advisors

• Question: Who can offer you guidance or insights in your chosen field?

• Example: A mentor who reviews your resume and provides career advice.

• Professional network

• Question: How can you strengthen and grow your professional connections?

• Example: Attending industry events to meet like-minded individuals.

Examples of “Pieces”

These are the elements of your life that you can "play" strategically, just like pieces in a Game. They include your goals, current circumstances, and the people and events that shape your environment.

Current Life Goals

• Career ambitions (e.g., starting a business or earning a promotion).

• Question: What is the next actionable step you can take toward this goal?

• Example: Enrolling in a leadership training course.

• Personal growth goals (e.g., improving fitness, mastering a skill).

• Question: What specific habits will help you achieve this growth?

• Example: Scheduling three gym sessions weekly to improve health.

• Financial goals (e.g., saving for a house, paying off debt).

• Question: What adjustments can you make to your spending to save more?

• Example: Setting a monthly budget and cutting unnecessary expenses.

• Relationship goals (e.g., finding a partner, improving friendships).

• Question: How can you invest more time in meaningful relationships?

• Example: Planning a monthly meet-up with close friends.

People in Your Life

• Allies (e.g., supportive friends, family, or colleagues).

• Question: How can you deepen your connection with your allies?

• Example: Sharing your goals with them so they can offer help.

• Mentors or coaches

• Question: How can you actively seek feedback and mentorship?

• Example: Asking your mentor for advice on handling a challenging project.

• Competitors or rivals

• Question: What can you learn from those who challenge you?

• Example: Observing a competitor’s strategies to improve your own.

Habits and Routines

• Productive habits (e.g., daily exercise, journaling).

• Question: Which habit has had the most positive impact on your life?

• Example: Starting each morning with a ten-minute meditation.

• Unproductive habits (e.g., procrastination, negative self-talk).

• Question: How can you replace an unproductive habit with a productive one?

• Example: Swapping scrolling on social media for reading a book.

• Daily routines

• Question: What small changes can make your daily routine more effective?

• Example: Preparing meals in advance to save time during the week.

Current Challenges

• Financial constraints (e.g., debt, low income).

• Question: What steps can you take to improve your financial situation?

• Example: Taking on freelance work to pay off credit card debt.

• Health issues (e.g., physical or mental).

• Question: What resources can you access to address your health challenges?

• Example: Joining a support group for mental health management.

Remember: you are not just a player in this Game; you are the strategist, the decision-maker, and the creator of your own destiny. Life will deal you a unique hand of cards, and your Gameboard will constantly shift with new opportunities and challenges. But what defines your journey isn't the hand you’re dealt—it's how you choose to play it.

Every card you hold—be it a skill, an experience, a relationship, or a challenge—has the potential to change the course of your Game. Look closely at your cards and pieces; overstand their strengths, weaknesses, and the unique ways they can be played to your advantage. Your past is not a predictor of your future; it is a resource, a collection of tools and lessons that can be harnessed to build the life you envision.

Think strategically. Which pieces need to be moved? Which ones should be removed? What new pieces do you need to acquire to advance toward your goals? Evaluate the Gameboard in front of you with clarity and courage. Just like in any great game, it’s about anticipating the moves ahead, adapting to unexpected twists, and finding creative ways to leverage every piece on the board.

When life tries to knock you down, remember: you have the power to get back up and keep playing. The Game is not over until you decide it is. Every setback is an opportunity to refine your strategy, every challenge is a chance to prove your resilience, and every victory, no matter how small, is a step closer to your ultimate goal.

So, take a deep breath, look at your cards, and memorize them like they are your lifeline, because they are. In the upcoming lessons you will go over how to make moves and craft your personalized strategy to fit the hand you've been dealt and play it to win, which will result in you reaching the finish line of your dreams. 

This is your Game, your life, your journey. Get ready to live it boldly, strategically, and with the unwavering belief that you have everything you need around you and within you to reach the finish line of your dreams.

The Game of Life is yours to master—so prepare to make your next moves your best ones yet.

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