A few weeks ago, I got hooked on the iPhone game Monument Valley.  It is a beautiful, simple, fun game full of puzzles and optical illusions.  I showed it to Claire, and she wanted to try it out for herself.

As Claire got stuck in the game and needed some guidance, I found myself coming up with a few simple rules to help her out.  On reflection, these rules are just applicable to real life as to the game.  Here is how to win at Monument Valley and in life.

• Keep moving toward your goal until you get stuck.
• When you get stuck, figure out what specifically you can change about your situation.
• Change things one at a time until you are moving forward again.
• What you change often depends on knowing where you want to be and where you have been.
• Repeat until you reach your goal.

I just wish the real world were as beautiful as the game.

And don’t even get me started on life lessons from the Civilization games.  I could write a book on that.