By Shawn M. Carlin

"I picking up good vibrations.... she's giving me excitations."

The song "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys, albeit simplistic lyrically, had some hidden wisdom relating to the laws of life and success. Who knew?

As a former college athlete(Go UW Badgers!), it goes without saying that I enjoy sports. What has always drawn me to sports/games, beyond the thrill of competition is the fact that nearly every game has a specific set of rules, guidelines or strategies to follow in order to maximize your success. The more you comprehend the rules and develop a strategy, the more effectively you can apply the rules to your favor and the more success you will find in the game. 

My wife and I recently watched the Netflix series, Queen's Gambit. I was in awe of the level of strategic mastery displayed by the best chess players in the world. Beth Harmon, the main character, would obsessively rehearse complex chess strategies in her head, in...