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Calling All Cubists

Let's face it - life can get pretty complicated at times. Some days it can be tough to balance all of the demands. Seemingly endless to do lists, pressure to complete all of the things you "have to do" while still being compelled by those things that you "want to do".

To make matters worse, all of the different parts of life seem to collide with each other. Staying at work late to finish an important project means coming home late. Some days, it can be hard to make everything fit.

I recently pondered the subject. (I had plenty of time, since Tanya locked me out after I came home late.) The situation reminded me of a classic puzzle from my childhood, the Rubik's Cube. With 300 million Cubes having been sold, I'm sure that I don't need to tell you that this puzzle is an interlocking mechanical puzzle most commonly with six multi-colored sides of 9 independent squares. (But I will anyway.)

Life is similarly multidimensional when you think about it. You have your friends and family, your career, your physical health, your mental health, your finances, and your spirituality. All are interconnected and all are important to varying degrees depending on your stage of life and the given day.

If the Rubik's Cube is such a good analogy (and thank you for saying so), learning how to solve the Cube may provide some clues as to how we can improve our personal and professional lives. I decided to hit the web in search for answers. Hey, it's the least I can do for my loyal and attractive readers.

As usual, I found that Wikipedia provides a good primer on the subject. In its "Rubik's Cube" entry, the open source encyclopedia makes several helpful observations:

"Many general solutions for the Rubik's Cube have been discovered independently." Fortunately, there's not just one way to approach the challenge of cracking the code. If you look around, you may find dozens of people who seem to be getting along just find. Take their success to heart. In life, finding success is a matter of finding the methods that work best for you.

"The most popular method ... involves solving the Cube layer by layer." The best advice seems to be to choose a major area and to focus on getting things in order. Whether you choose to start with your work life, your home life, or even your finances is less important than getting that life area completely squared away (pun intended). That effort will provide a strong foundation upon which you can build.

"Solutions typically consist of a sequence of processes." Improvement represents change and change requires action. In the real world, most of these life-improving processes are a bit more complicated than twisting a plastic puzzle, but they are still logical with expected effort and outcomes. Whether you need to schedule a "first date" with your spouse, balance your checkbook, or update your resume - these are all simply activities that are part of the greater good.

"Sequences are performed in the appropriate order, as dictated by the current configuration of the puzzle, to solve the Cube." This is the area where most people fall down. (Not literally.) There is a natural feedback loop whereby an action in one area may change the dynamic of the other areas. The "current configuration" of life must dictate your next step. If you would like to start your own business but need your current income to keep up the mortgage payments, your "best next step" will look different than that of someone who has fewer restrictions. Even if the answer isn't screaming out at you, be confident in your conviction that there is a best next step for you - you simply need to take the time to discover it and follow through.

"Most [solutions] can be used to solve any Cube in under five minutes." Okay, I admit that this one isn't very helpful at all. There is no quick-fix overnight solution. Success in life is much more like the proverbial marathon than the fabled sprint. Don't let that get you down, though - when you find five minutes to rub together you have enough time to do one small thing that will allow you to move toward that life you are meant to live. Every little thing is like a little drop in a large bucket. Focus on one easy drop at a time and soon you'll be surprised at how it all adds up.

So what do you think - does the Rubik's Cube analogy hold up? Stop for a moment and think about those major areas in your life. Do they appear as beautiful, solid fields or more like a disoriented patchwork of random colors?

As with the toy Cube, the current state of your life is far less relevant than what it can become. Roll up your sleeves, devise your plan, and dive in. Good luck!