Gleanings from Sudoku

Sudoku is a puzzle game that is composed of 9 squares which each contains 9 squares and the numbers 1-9.  In order to solve the puzzle one  must place the numbers 1 - 9 in each set of squares as well as 1-9 in horizontal and vertical lines (and in some complicated ones in a criss cross as well!).   I love these brain teasing struggles but I have learned something in doing them and what I've learned might surprise you.

This past week as I finished a puzzle, I thought about my early days with Sudoku.  I started playing with these puzzles because a girl I knew had started doing them.  I'd always been a little stumped by them but when I realized that this  girl was solving them, I felt encouraged to try, as well.  So I bought a book and began what became a leisure activity I have enjoyed for years now.



At first I wasn't very good.  Even though the puzzles generally progress in difficulty from Easy to Hard, I could barely accomplish an Easy puzzle without  having to peek at the key to determine where I'd gotten things right and where I'd run into trouble.

After awhile, practice made perfect.  I completed easy puzzles, easily.  I moved on to Medium puzzles and then to Hard ones.  I even attempted a few challenge puzzles which have 16 squares of 16 squares each.  They were hard and some puzzles remained incomplete as I made many stumbles, but I tried repeatedly and eventually I solved some of those as well without any assistance from the key in the back of the book.

This week I was working on a puzzle and realized that I was now accomplishing nearly all the Demanding level puzzles which are far and above more difficult than Hard levels.  I was a bit astonished just at first but I realized that practice had led me to continually up my skills until I could consistently finish a harder puzzle.

As I mused, I realized that this is true of any skill we hope to acquire.  We begin with an easy recipe or sewing project and gradually, as we increase our knowledge and skills, we attempt harder projects.  With practice we continue on and  do more difficult tasks.  We move from learning to cook an egg to making bread and cakes.  We learn to sew a straight seam and gradually find we can make a wardrobe of clothes or curtains and slipcovers for our home.  We learn to drive a car and move from slow country lanes to big cities with multiple lanes and intricate interstate systems.   Whether we mean to or not, we are forever increasing the difficulty level by doing the next thing and that in turn continually builds our skill level.

So the next time you start to do a job, think about the very first time you tried to complete the task and look at where you at today.  You've improved, right?  Ask yourself if there is a 'next level' to attain to or have you hit the peak?  Look at areas where you can expend the energy to grow beyond your current abilities.  I'll just bet you find a boring task gets a lot more interesting!