My Dad loved the game of chess, so I’ve played since I was little, though rarely very well. Regardless of my skill at the game, I was struck by the uniqueness of the Queen from the moment I first understood it.
For those who don’t know, the Queen has the most power in the game of chess. The King has the most value, yes. But the Queen — she has the most power. Unlike other pieces, the Queen can move in any direction, and overtake any obstacle in her way. She isn’t limited in direction, nor in distance. Forward, backward, diagonal, sideways —she can go as many steps as she wants to go in any direction. Power.
Power Gives You Options
I keep a single chess piece of the Queen on my desk at work, and in my office at home. I do it to remind me that when I’m in a tough place or facing a difficult decision, I have options. I’m not powerless, and I’m never stuck. I can always make a move.
Sometimes I need to take a small step backward and think about how I got where I am.
Other times I need to make a move to the side to look at the problem from a different point of view.
Still other times I need to move forward and put a great distance between myself and whatever it is I am facing. Regardless of what action I take, I am never immobilized, no matter how great the value that is placed on others around me, or how little I feel valued myself. I have the power to change my circumstances.
A Pawn Can Be A Queen
Another little chess lesson? The pawn has the lowest value, and the least power on the board. You start with eight of them because they will be sacrificed to save the pieces with greater value. But only a pawn can become a Queen. No other piece has that opportunity.
So it reminds me that it doesn’t matter how small or unvalued you are when you begin, you can be the Queen. It will take some thinking, some work, and some luck, but in any situation you can indeed become the Queen.
The Queen Has The Power
Whether it’s a small problem I’m trying to solve and I need a tool to help me think it through, or a major life dilemma that has me emotionally at a stand-still, I always remind myself that the Queen has the power. I am never stuck. I am never out of options. I can always make a move, and change my point of view or position. And best of all — I can overcome any obstacle in my way.
My Dad loved the game of chess, so I’ve played since I was little, though rarely very well. Regardless of my skill at the game, I was struck by the uniqueness of the Queen from the moment I first understood it.
For those who don’t know, the Queen has the most power in the game of chess. The King has the most value, yes. But the Queen — she has the most power. Unlike other pieces, the Queen can move in any direction, and overtake any obstacle in her way. She isn’t limited in direction, nor in distance. Forward, backward, diagonal, sideways —she can go as many steps as she wants to go in any direction. Power.
