The popularity of Sudoku might seem like a fluke, but the truth is, the rise of Sudoku holds various lessons from entrepreneurs who are looking to create a business. Sudoku has a lot to teach entrepreneurs about success.
Cross Cultural Barriers
One of the reasons why Sudoku is so popular is that the game translates easily across cultures. Since Sudoku is based on numbers instead of letters or words, it can be easily introduced to various markets around the world, regardless of whether people in those various countries can speak or read English. Entrepreneurs need to think global with any new business, especially an online business, where some of your best customers might be from other countries all over the world.
Be Persistent
Sudoku is a game that rewards patience and persistence. If it’s not immediately clear which number to place in a certain space, it’s important for people to keep watching, waiting and looking for the right opportunity. In the same way, this mindset of persistence and opportunism is essential for entrepreneurs – starting a business or launching a new product or discovering a new market is often an exercise in simple persistence – continuing to do the work of trying new things and finding the right fit for what you have to offer.
Keep Training Your Brain
Entrepreneurs are known for being lifelong learners who are curious and engaged in everyday life and eager to find out about all sorts of new knowledge, whether or not it’s immediately practically applicable to their business or field of expertise. One of the reasons why Sudoku can help entrepreneurs achieve success is that Sudoku is a “brain game” which some studies have shown can help people improve their cognitive function and reduce risk of dementia. Sudoku can help entrepreneurs train their brains – by forcing ourselves to think about new problems and analyze various situations, Sudoku can help our brains grow and adapt in new directions.
Take a Break Now and Then
Entrepreneurs are known for being hard-charging, hard-working, ambitious people who often don’t know how to relax. Sudoku is a great game for entrepreneurs because it’s an example of active leisure – instead of just vegetating on the couch watching TV, playing Sudoku gives you a way to keep your mind active while enjoying some relaxation.
Taking a break is important to the success of a business, since entrepreneurs might find new insights and new inspirations by getting away from the office and switching off their smartphones for a while.
In the same way, playing Sudoku teaches our brains about the importance of resting – when a Sudoku puzzle seems unsolvable, it’s important to step away from it for a while, whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour or a day – and then come back to the puzzle with fresh eyes. By looking at our challenges with well-rested fresh eyes, we can often discover new ways of solving them – and Sudoku teaches this important entrepreneurial lesson, time and time again.
