Decisions Depend on the Goal
Mulling over a move is foolish when you’re on a timed board, and there’s no point wasting a move on creating a vertically striped candy on a middle row when all the jelly is on the edges. Different goals require different choices. So whether your goal is to spend more time with family or to save enough for a down payment on a house, Candy Crush teaches you to keep your goal in mind and act accordingly. And the corollary: If someone else’s decisions don’t make sense to you, consider that they might be playing a different board and have a totally different goal.
Try New Things
Remember when you first tried matching two striped candies? Or a striped candy and a wrapped one? Whoa! Cool things happen when you try new things.
Don’t Ignore an Imminent Problem
When a candy bomb still has a high-ish count, it’s tempting to ignore it in favor of more lucrative moves. But believe you me, that bomb will count down, and you’ll suddenly find you only have three, then two, then one move to make it go away. It will explode, and you’ll regret not paying attention to it sooner. In life, don’t ignore those threats you can see coming. Don’t put off the challenging task, the difficult conversation, the decision you don’t want to make. It will come up to bite you faster than you think.
Sometimes There’s Nothing You Can Do
Even when you start with a good board, make good decisions for your goal, work to take care of the threats – even then, you’ll sometimes lose. Sometimes there really is nothing you can do. Be kind to yourself, in the game and in life. Sometimes your best efforts don’t pan out. Sometimes you've done everything right, and you still don’t reach your goal. It just happens. And it’s OK.
Ask Friends for Help
Enough said.
Rejoice in the Unexpected
I’m sure it’s happened to you, too – that candy bomb is down to one, and there’s nothing you can do to remove it. So, resigned to yet another failed board, you make one last move, only to see the perfect candy drop right into place and the bomb is gone. Or that pesky chocolate has expanded into an upper corner, blocking some of the new candy, and you know there’s little chance of getting rid of it – when out of nowhere a move results in a striped candy explosion you didn't see coming. Boom, chocolate gone! It doesn't always work out that way, but it does often enough – and it always brightens my day. In life, look for the random text from a friend, the unexpected blessing, the tiny moment of joy – and let it lift your spirits.
Take a Break
You only get a set number of lives in each Candy Crush session. You get a few chances to play, then you have to have to wait for those lives to build up again. You have to stop. So stop – in whatever you’re doing. Take a break. Turn off the screen, lay the project aside, put down the weight of the world and call a friend, take a walk, bake cookies, have a nap, or just chill. Do it. Because I say so. And so does Candy Crush. You can pick up where you left off after a break.
On that note, I’m off to lunch with a good friend. The Saturday chores will have to wait til I get back!
