Navigating Life's Transformations: The Dance of Strategy and Play

Our life is filled with a constant quest and transformation, where personal development strategies intertwine with the play of social interactions. From the very beginning of our journey, we lay the foundations of self-awareness through experiences that help us break away from the usual confines of existence. It is the understanding of the value of risk and the desire for transformation that determine how we make decisions and choose our path. This deep search, akin to a philosophical experiment with an uncertain outcome, becomes an integral part of our existence and opens new horizons of self-determination.

At the same time, children’s play is not merely entertainment but an important stage in the development of social skills. Through interactive play, a child learns to understand the motives of those around them, build communication, and acquire the basics of social behavior. These early experiences, where instinctive reactions and mental development merge into one, create the foundation upon which our future decisions and personal growth are built. Each game becomes a miniature reflection of life processes, preparing us for the challenges of adulthood.

By combining global strategic approaches with early social games, we see how multi-layered the process of self-transformation really is. Decisions made in moments of uncertainty bestow upon us strength and confidence, while the skills acquired in childhood become a reliable compass on the path of personal growth. Ultimately, the awareness of life’s boundaries and the aspiration for constant renewal allow us to move forward, remaining open to new challenges and opportunities.

What life strategies and “games” can influence our personal growth and decision-making?

Personal growth and decision-making processes can be considered as the result of an interplay between several levels of life strategies and playful models developed throughout life. Firstly, there are vast strategies connected with how we perceive and transform our own experiences, approaching the ultimate limits of human existence. For instance, one source states that global strategies are constituted as generalizations of anthropological strategies, where a person is defined as “an ensemble of strategies oriented towards the Anthropological Boundary.” This implies that our decisions and the path of self-transformation are founded upon the awareness of the limits of experience and the desire to go beyond the confines of habitual existence, even if the outcome of this transformation remains open and is associated with a certain existential risk. For example, it is noted:

"These alternatives to the dynamics of adoration can be described within the same methodological paradigm, where global strategies are constituted as summaries (projections, exteriorizations, extrapolations...) of anthropological strategies. … By following the classical philosophical method of defining an object through its boundary, we define a person in the dimension of energy (being-action) as ‘an ensemble of strategies oriented towards the Anthropological Boundary’."
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This perspective suggests that at the core of personal growth lie strategies connected with deep searches and reflections on the ultimate aspects of human experience, where every decision carries a risk similar to a wager (akin to Pascal's wager). It is this element of choice – the possibility or risk of transformation – that plays a significant role in shaping our path and decisions.

Secondly, “social games” play an important role, especially evident in childhood when a child masters and refines various social skills through play. Research shows that during play, children not only entertain themselves but also pass through developmental stages corresponding to those experienced by humanity. In their games, both instincts and various mental faculties emerge, contributing to the development of the ability to communicate, understand the motives of others, and make decisions in a social context. This is exemplified in the following statement:

"St. Hall concluded precisely from this that, in play, children briefly go through the stages of development experienced by humanity: entering the world with their instincts, a child gives them full expression during play, after which these instincts wane. … However, gradually children awaken an interest in peers of similar age — when they see a familiar or unfamiliar child, they become excited, observing with extraordinary attention, as if eager to engage in communication."
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Thus, life strategies and games—from global, often philosophically charged models of self-determination to childhood social play—are interconnected and influence the directions in which we develop and make our decisions. On one hand, choosing a strategy aimed at radical transformation may be perceived as a risky yet inspiring venture with an open outcome; on the other hand, the basic forms of social interaction acquired at an early age lay the groundwork for future personal qualities and the ability to navigate society.

Supporting citation(s):
"These alternatives to the dynamics of adoration can be described within the same methodological paradigm, where global strategies are constituted as summaries (projections, exteriorizations, extrapolations...) of anthropological strategies. …" (source: link )

"St. Hall concluded precisely from this that, in play, children briefly go through the stages of development experienced by humanity: …" (source: link )