HOW TO FIND A GAME WHERE THE ODDS ARE IN YOUR FAVOR

 Learning to play a game where the odds are in your favor is critical for

maintaining motivation and feeling successful. In theory, you can enjoy almost

anything. In practice, you are more likely to enjoy the things that come easily to

you. People who are talented in a particular area tend to be more competent at

that task and are then praised for doing a good job. They stay energized because

they are making progress where others have failed, and because they get

rewarded with better pay and bigger opportunities, which not only makes them

happier but also propels them to produce even higher-quality work. It’s a

virtuous cycle.

Pick the right habit and progress is easy. Pick the wrong habit and life is a

struggle.

How do you pick the right habit? The first step is something we covered in the

3rd Law: make it easy. In many cases, when people pick the wrong habit, it

simply means they picked a habit that was too difficult. When a habit is easy,

you are more likely to be successful. When you are successful, you are more

likely to feel satisfied. However, there is another level to consider. In the longrun,

if you continue to advance and improve, any area can become challenging.

At some point, you need to make sure you’re playing the right game for your

skillset. How do you figure that out?

The most common approach is trial and error. Of course, there’s a problem

with this strategy: life is short. You don’t have time to try every career, date

every eligible bachelor, or play every musical instrument. Thankfully, there is an

effective way to manage this conundrum, and it is known as the explore/exploit

trade-off.

In the beginning of a new activity, there should be a period of exploration. In

relationships, it’s called dating. In college, it’s called the liberal arts. In business,

it’s called split testing. The goal is to try out many possibilities, research a broad

range of ideas, and cast a wide net.

After this initial period of exploration, shift your focus to the best solution

you’ve found—but keep experimenting occasionally. The proper balance

depends on whether you’re winning or losing. If you are currently winning, you

exploit, exploit, exploit. If you are currently losing, you continue to explore,

explore, explore.