Life is a Game: You Either Win or You Learn

Dear Collective,

This week, let’s talk about the nature of the game we’re all playing: life.  Life is a game. The moves cannot become undone, but we can do better on the next one.

We’ve all been there. You make a mistake, a bad decision, upset someone, or completely bomb a lift. In that moment, the failure/mistake feels permanent. It feels like you must forever be defined by that missed move. That’s not true. You can’t take back the action, but you absolutely control the consequence. The core idea here is that there is no such thing as failure—you either succeed or you learn.

Every bad move, every mistake, every missed opportunity is just a data point. It’s an opportunity to grow, to become better, and to build that experience into the person you set out to be. The person who stays stuck and miserable is the one who refuses to learn from the move they can’t undo.

This isn't about ignoring the screw-up. It's about looking at it, owning it, and immediately asking, "What can I do better on the very next move?”

Stop focusing on the mistake. Focus on the learning. Focus on the action you need to take right now to turn that setback into a disciplined step forward.

With Strength and Gratitude, Charlie