How has Go changed your thinking or philosophy?

[Phoenix]

Go has definitely changed the way I think. Since learning and playing the game requires heuristics, and since these are broadly defined, one can extrapolate them to most areas of life.

I've learned:
That you can let a bad move weigh your down all your life. But if you play properly afterwards, it can turn into your most brilliant move.

That previous bad experiences can always be utilized or 'sacrificed' for gain.

To keep equivalent options open, or to create them, so I can cope with any change.

To take care of what's important first, instead of what seems most attractive. And to make finer distinctions about what's actually important. I've become more efficient by ignoring what isn't worth as much to me.

That you can't have it all. But if you think things through, you can have enough. Diversifying too much can harm you in the short and long run.

To take care to plan ahead, and to prepare or 'reinforce' before launching myself in new ventures.

That live changes can be good, even great, if you know how to take advantage of a trade.

To keep my liberties open. They will get used up eventually, and life is made to be enjoyed.

To take a step back, see the bigger picture, and predict the flow my actions will lead to.

To utilize my strengths before it's too late.

That the indirect method can be the most effective, and the direct method the least.

Among others. I've internalized a lot thanks to this game.

However, while Go is a great metaphor for life, it is not life. There are some important differences. Sometimes in life the biggest moves happen in your later years. Nothing is immutable. None of your choices or experiences are ever 'lost'. And you can always change.

Most importantly, action is the ultimate power as far as humans are concerned. You can spend your entire life planning and strategizing. But in the end, you'll be sorry you didn't just try things and act on impulses, especially where skill-building is concerned. Life is not a straight path and the rules are unclear.

Learn from Go, apply it, but remember Go is Go and life is life.

[lemonpie]

Go has taught me that there are such things as insurmountable walls. I've never failed at anything before I got into Go.

[Uberdude]

Insurmountable? How how many thousands of hours of purposeful study and professional tuition have you done which didn't help you improve ?

[Shako]

Go has taught me that there are such things as insurmountable walls. I've never failed at anything before I got into Go.

That's quite a strange idea. The idea of 'insurmountable' as mentioned above, but also that you've failed at Go! 'Lost games' I understand. 'Played stupid moves', 'Struggling to progress', 'feeling that I'll never be the level I want to be'...okay...I can identify at least partially with all these...but 'fail' at Go. All those things are part of everyone's Go journey, not 'failing'...surely?!

(oh and 'I've never failed at anything before'....WOW! I hardly know what to make of this. My advice: Don't worry, time will provide plenty of others things ).

[lemonpie]

..many thousands of hours of purposeful study..

[Kirby]

Go has made me realize the importance of facing the possibility of failure. For a long time, I studied go a lot, but played very rarely. I was afraid of losing. If I played stronger players, I was afraid of dying big. I came to realize that, while it may be true that I might die, fail big, etc., if I am always afraid of this, I will never experience playing go. Likewise, in life, I've come to realize that if I am constantly afraid of failure, I cannot experience life.

For example, at work, I used to be afraid of the possibility of being fired. What if I lost my job? What if I got laid off? What if something bad happened?

I realized that I have to simply face this fear, and play the game. Maybe I will get fired. Maybe something bad will happen. But I should play the best game I can. Only by playing can I have this experience.

[Subotai]

As legend has it go was created by an emperor to teach his son about life.

If you listen go has a lot to teach about life and if you live by those principles and apply them properly that things will tend to go your way. There are of course a lot of players and professionals who don't take it to heart as it isn't a requirement and only use these ideas within the confines of the 19x19 board.

Go is also a mirror, it allows you to see what kind of person you are once you learn the basic rules. It shows how you react under pressure, whether you focus on long or short term goals, and your overall demeanor among other things. If you can harmonize the way you live your life with the way you play I think you will benefit both.

Go and Taoism are also closely related. I think good go playing follows the flow of the way, though it is the player's responsibility to understand this and how to apply it in themselves. For this reason I am very attracted to studying players with really good flow like Yi Chang-Ho, Shuei, and Takagawa Kaku.

[skydyr]

Among other things, Go taught me to fight for myself instead of giving up. That when things look like you're behind, you shouldn't just give up, but fight harder, because there's usually a way out, and your opponents overwhelming position is often a set of carefully constructed illusions. "You have to give in here, because you'll lose too much," they say, but there are issues with their own positions too, and you have to point them out if you don't want to be trampled. In life as well, people will take as much as you let them, and you need to know when to give in gracefully, when to push back, and when to trade.

[Pippen]

I learned that even if a game looks bad, never resign since it is always possible your opponent makes a mistake or you see THE move (equals luck in life).
I learned to be more patient and flexbile in executing my plans since impatience and inflexibility are main causes for losses.
I learned to be not too much of an perfectionist - sometimes you have to leave aji behind, you cannot fix everything everytime.
I learned that sometimes you can lose the game despite having won (escapers), i.e. no matter what you think about your life you cannot say "Good" or "Bad" at the end since you would have to know the bigger picture about it.
I learned emotions are often a bad thing and you have to work on limiting their influence by controling them.
I learned to enjoy my life more laid back. In a Go game one can usually not tell how a game develops and if a move x seemed bad at the time it might become good over time and vice versa.
I learned what a troublemaker greed is.
I learned that if you have a problem there are two choices and one you must make (and not going on in between): face it or avoid it.
I learned that neither anxiety nor courage is a good advisor, but something mixed up of both.
I learned that a game is finished when its finished, not one move earlier (a lot can happen in this last move when you or your opp. blunders) - so is life.
I learned not to blame people too much for their wrongdoings since as a Go player I know how important and decisive the opening is - imagine one plays the first 50 moves for you badly till you overtake (= bad parents or cirumstances in your youth).
I learned to look at the big picture and not to get too caught up in the little worries & issues.

And there is so much more. I am basically only continue to play, because many games give me new ideas how to see/interpret certain situations. I like Go as a widsom machine.

[sybob]

I like Go as a wisdom machine.