Mario Kart and Non-Linear Paths In Life
The various paths of DK Mountain.
Mario Kart
Last night, during the first day of my buddy’s bachelor party, we played a ton of Mario Kart Double Dash. During a race on DK Mountain, some drivers consistently took the mountain ledge shortcut. Others swore by going around the ledge to not risk getting hit by a turtle shell, falling off the edge.
It got me thinking: in life, does it matter which path you take, as long as you get to the destination you’re going?
Tennis
Look at some of the greatest tennis players: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer.
Matthew Syed tells the story of watching each warm up before Wimbledon.
When Nadal warmed up, it was sheer aggression. He sprinted up and down like a man possessed with his shirt dripping in sweat.
When Djokovic warmed up, it was pure emotionless calibration. He was measured and scientific with every shot.
When Federer warmed up, you could hear him giggling before he arrived. He was doing trick shots, caressing the ball and exploring his own creativity.
There isn’t a single way to do things. Whatever achieves your goals, wins the trophy, or gets you to the bottom of DK Mountain can be the right way.
In Life
Everyone is so different, with unique strengths and experiences. Getting from Point A to Point B looks completely different depending on who you ask.
Focus on what’s going well. Continue doing more of that. Figuring out what’s not going well and do less of that. Simple as that. Learn, iterate, repeat.
—Grant Varner