Learning never to give up

Great minds of history have appreciated the game of chess, among them, Goethe, Shakespeare, and Aristotle. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, "Chess teaches foresight, by having to plan ahead, vigilance, by having to keep watch over the whole chessboard, caution, by having to restrain ourselves from making hasty moves, and finally, we learn from chess the greatest maxim in life, that even when everything seems to be going badly for us we should not lose heart, but always hope for a change for the better, and steadfastly continue searching for the solutions to our problems. Some of the greatest games in history have been decided in the end game with only a single knight. Learning never to give up is a necessity in any problem-solving venture. If the true creative experience is to live an artful and successful life, then opening the mind to it's fullest extent would seem a necessary effort. Chess is an excellent opportunity to study yourself and how you relate the world. Are you cautious or fearless? Do you lead with your head or your heart? Can you move between both at will? Can you see the whole and where it's leading or are you stuck in the isolation of the moment? Can you forge through to the very end without ever giving up? These are the qualities a creative mind needs to cultivate. Take an interest in chess and you can exercise these qualities in a playful way.