Sudoku puzzles have existed for quite a long time. Dating back to the 18th century, many people have played it to exercise their minds, for fun, and to pass the time. The simple-looking puzzle having 9 x 9 squares may seem to be just a game for you. However, it has numerous entrepreneurial lessons for you if you have a business or are looking to create one.
Though Sudoku seems to have nothing to do with trading, it shares some similarities such as mistakes and probability with entrepreneurship that you can learn when you start playing it from scratch.
Here are some vital lessons that you can learn from playing Sudoku if you are an entrepreneur:
- Persistence
Sudoku requires its players to be persistent and patient to get a reward. If you don’t know the number to place in a particular cell, you must keep watching, waiting, and trying to find it.
Similarly, entrepreneurs need to be persistent with their businesses to get returns. For a person to buy your product, you need to repeat some established marketing strategies several times, eliminating the ones that don’t work and focusing on those that work until you get a breakthrough.
- Outsourcing
Most Sudoku experts recommend looking for online solutions when you’re stuck and can’t solve the puzzle. Besides that, many Sudoku players are also willing and ready to provide tips to help you get solutions.
Just like Sudoku players need teamwork to solve problems, entrepreneurs need to outsource duties in their businesses to increase productivity. Seeking business coaches to teach your employees skills and trading techniques may help promote success and happiness. Also, collaborating with partners on projects can lead to synergy and improved outcomes.
- Relaxing
Depending on the player’s level when playing Sudoku, the game may take time, spanning from minutes to hours. If it’s a difficult level that needs more time, players may require short breaks between the game to refresh their minds and relax. Taking a break is vital to help players solve the puzzle quickly.
As an entrepreneur, you also need to take a break from your hard work to be more productive. Most entrepreneurs are known to be hard-charging, ambitious people who don’t know the definition of relaxing. If you’re such an entrepreneur, playing Sudoku can be, for you, active leisure instead of sitting on a couch watching TV.
Taking a break is also crucial for the success of your business because it can help you find new inspiration and insights. Just like taking 15 minutes away from playing an unsolvable Sudoku puzzle can help you look at it with fresh eyes, taking a break from your business can help you discover new ways of solving entrepreneurial challenges.
- Probability Doesn’t Mean Certainty
Players know that the numbers on any unit can fit on any cell. Therefore, to know the number that fits in a particular cell, a player needs to employ different strategies and look at the whole puzzle.
That’s a great lesson that all entrepreneurs need to learn. You may layout various strategies that you think can help you achieve your goals, but not all these strategies will work 100%. Some of them may also work for you in certain areas, while others may work in totally different areas.
- Scaling
Some studies have shown that playing Sudoku helps to improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia. Players of Sudoku may, over time, learn to analyze various problems and situations because of an improved brain function.
Entrepreneurs can also use that technique in their businesses or field of expertise. When you encounter any business challenges, analyzing them, and trying to work out, solutions can increase your knowledge and brain function. Also, if you’re an entrepreneur who plays Sudoku, you can apply the same strategies to solve the entrepreneurial puzzles that you may encounter in the course of transacting business.
- Think Global
One of the things that has made Sudoku popular is that it transcends cultural barriers. Since it’s based on numbers, and not words or letters, all manner of people can play it, including those from countries who can’t speak and read English. Similarly, entrepreneurs also need to think globally with their businesses. You can do this by establishing a digital presence for your brand, where customers from all over the world can find it.
The Bottom-line
Though many people consider Sudoku just a game, it holds numerous lessons for entrepreneurs. It can teach you how to establish a global business, scale, outsource, relax, and use probability to improve productivity in your business.
