“You brought checkers to a chess match.”

Me, in a fictitious scenario

This line seems like it would be the perfect nerdy mic drop.

The implication, in my mind, is that the individual on the receiving end thinks so differently from me that they don’t even understand what ‘game’ we’re playing. They’re so lost they can’t keep up.

Of course, my underlying message isn’t as effective as I originally thought because we all truly do think differently. The proper response, however, is to bridge those gaps with clear communication. We must become effective translators instead of criticizing others because of our differences.

Commonality always exists. Find it.

Let’s examine chess and checkers. My thoughts thus far paint a picture of two completely different games, one being superior than the other.

However, they are both two-player games played on the same board. They have the same objective. They both have kings. They both require a strategy.

Neither game is superior. Similarly, your unique thinking style isn’t any better or worse than others. Instead of isolating or demoralizing others on the grounds of alleged inferiority, find the common thread and build on it.

As for my line, it sounds great in a dream – but I hope I never use it.