YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY: “You have to play the game to change the game.” But how do you play the game if you don’t know the game? You can’t. You’d be dribbling a basketball on a tennis court and yelling for a penalty. And if you can’t change the game because you can’t play the game because you don’t know the game … you’re definitely not going to win the game. Right now you might be thinking, “WHAT GAME?! I’m an accountant!” Well, my fellow Bawse, the reality is that almost everything in life is a game. And “game” isn’t a synonym for something unimportant, nor does it have to give you that icky feeling. Games are great. Most things in life involve strategy, rules, levels, and players. When you’re at a bar and hit on a cute girl, that’s using strategy in the dating game. When you set yourself apart as an overachieving assistant and get promoted, you passed a level in the office game. When you agree to play hide-and-seek with your baby sister to get out of trouble with your mother, you’re playing the game as well. In fact, you’re playing two games.
Whatever you’re doing in life, whether you’re a doctor, painter, student, or lemonade stand owner, it’s important to know the game so that you can excel at playing it. One of the best ways to do this is to become aware of what everyone else in the same field is doing. Not only does this give you the ability to learn from other people’s successes and mistakes, but it also encourages healthy competition, which is necessary for evolution. In addition, knowing the other players in the game can help you adjust your strategy accordingly, just like a coach who studies the formations and plays of an opposing team.
Before I went on my first tour, I made it a priority to attend as many shows by fellow digital creators as I could. Of course I went because I wanted to support my friends, but I also wanted to gain as much knowledge and insight from the experience as possible. Instead of trying to blindly write a creative for my own show, I wanted to see what everyone else was offering first. I took notes on what I loved, what I thought could be improved, how the crowd was reacting, and how long the show was. Was there a dedicated stage manager? How many seats were VIP? Where was security positioned? Were there costume changes? How many? How often? I absorbed all the information around me and used it to develop my own strategy. I wanted to make sure that whatever I offered was not only up to par but different from what was already out there. If you’re trying to set yourself apart, you need to know what has already been done.
“WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING IN LIFE, WHETHER YOU’RE A DOCTOR, PAINTER, STUDENT, OR LEMONADE STAND OWNER, IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE GAME SO THAT YOU CAN EXCEL AT PLAYING IT.
I also watch YouTube videos when I’m taking a break from work. Yes, when I take a break from making a YouTube video, I watch a YouTube video (#ReasonsImSingle). The reason I do this is because I think it’s important to be familiar with the content that exists alongside mine. If I’m working on a video called “I Like Potatoes” and then I go online and see four other videos called “I Like Potatoes,” well, that’s not great. That is above the recommended daily carbohydrate intake for any viewer. Similarly, I don’t want to be creating content on my webcam, with mediocre lighting and basic transition, if everyone else on the trending page is using an SLR, ring light, and complicated animations. I want to stay in the league, so I keep up to date on the game.
Knowing the game not only helps you play to the best of your ability but also prevents you from being cheated. Imagine playing a game of poker and not really knowing the rules. You have three sixes and two kings and your opponent has a pair of fours. After you reveal your cards uncertainly, your opponent notices and confidently claims victory, therefore taking all your chips. You had a full house and didn’t know it! You’re like the Olsen twins before they were old enough to form memories. Cut. It. Out.
Whenever I have to review a contract, I take my time with it. Admittedly, the legal world isn’t a game I know completely, and that’s why, when I’m forced to play, I consult with other players. The best part about the game of life is that we’re on so many teams at the same time. There have been many times when I’ve received a contract and something has seemed off, so I call up my creator friends and ask about their thoughts and experiences. At a different time I might be playing against these creators in a different game, but in the legal game they’re my allies. In more than one instance I’ve discovered that I’d been given incorrect information, or to be blunt, I’d been lied to. But again, it’s all a game. The people doing business with me are playing their game, and as a result, I have to play mine. And I will.
Recognizing that you’re playing a game doesn’t just make things more fun (who doesn’t love games?) but also helps you understand why people do the things they do, allowing you to react with rationality, not emotion. An agent who sends me a contract that is heavily in their favor isn’t necessarily trying to hurt my feelings; they’re playing the game. That understanding allows me to respond with my own strategic move, instead of with emotion. When a basketball player crosses you over, they aren’t trying to break your heart; they’re trying to get points to win the game. Similarly, if you’re the person who gets crossed over, it’s in your best interest to get better, not bitter. Getting better helps your game; getting bitter does not.
Whatever game you’re in, strap on some knee pads and get ready to play—unless your game doesn’t impact your knees at all, in which case you’d just look silly. Us fellow Bawses will be cheering you on.
Let’s play.
UNLESS YOU’RE BORN into a royal family, chances are you will have to start from the bottom and work your way up in life. If that sentence doesn’t apply to you, then HI, PRINCE HARRY! Thanks for buying my book—or, you know, demanding it. Whatever.
If you want to be the CEO of a company, you might have to start out as a sales rep. If you want to be a director, you may have to get your foot in the door by being a production assistant. If you want to be an actor, you will likely have to fight your way into auditions. Many situations in life require us to climb an invisible ladder, and it’s not usually an easy climb. You have to earn each rung.