Think Outside Your Faction

"No matter how long you train someone to be brave, you never know if they are or not until something real happens."

-Insurgent

That 'something real' could be a turn in Vancouver's most challenging escape game. Measured up against four uniquely themed escape rooms, players must use all areas of their brain, not just the corners they excel at to succeed.

This is one of themes that Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, the source of the quote above, explores. The novels and now films are set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans have been divided into factions. The faction setup works like a caste system, where individuals are taught to only associate and strive towards positions within their social group. This control is based on the individuals within the group identifying with the pre-conceived character traits that are attached to each faction. Once they identify and understand their position, they are less likely to use the traits of the other factions for problem solving, thus limiting their potential. It is only the divergent members, the ones who display traits from all of the factions, who contain the potential to disrupt the system.

It is an interesting scenario, one which we see played out in our everyday lives. Individuals who succeed at work, at sports even in relationships, seem to have a rounder sense of being. When our skills are too specialized, we often can't find a practical use for them. It is only with a grasp of the larger picture that we are able to make our creative productions shine.

The same thing happens in the Krakit rooms. Players need creativity, logic, intelligence and perseverance to make their escape. Their natural tendencies, or faction traits, might lead them towards one line of thinking, but their ability to change perspective will allow them to engage the problem on more then one front. The divergent mind will always trump the specialized.

Insurgent, the second film in the Divergent series, will open in theatres across North America on March 20th, 2015. 

Skills to Escape

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.

             -Henry David Thoreau

Success, in all aspects of life, comes from living in the moment. If you question your abilities, you stumble. If you allow yourself to be distracted, the distance between you and your goals increases. If your focus drifts to what's ahead, rather than what's in front of you, you will miss opportunities. Execute your plan in the moment and walk away the victor.

The exam room is one of the most stressful atmospheres. You are given a pen, an exam booklet and an answer sheet. Your success depends on your confidence. You cannot question your preparation. You can only take one question at a time.

As the clock ticks away, you have to organize your time being mindful that the test writer created the exam to be doable. The answers are within you, you only have to pull them from your mind.

At the office, the pressure is less, but the distractions are doubled. Social media wants you to engage; Paul from IT has a story from his Vegas weekend; Natalie from HR is looking particularly fabulous; none of this is relevant to the task at hand. Block out distractions, finish your assignments, impress the boss and aim for the top.

The clues for success are never far from your focus. Like a crime scene littered with evidence, deciphering what is relevant to the investigation often depends on recognizing the subtle hints. The smoking gun might point to a quick arrest, but the removed office file will establish a motive.

Confidence, periphery avoidance and meticulous identification are integral for proper execution. The most successful sports teams combine all of these skills to produce winning records that lead to podium placements. You have to be confident in you conditioning and playmaking. You have to avoid the distractions on and off the field. And you have to identify your opponent’s weaknesses so you can properly exploit them.

The Vancouver escape room is no different. We all enter with a set of life skills to fall back on. These skills anchor our confidence for escaping. With a plethora of distractions, from moaning zombies to, splattered blood, concentration is paramount. Identifying the clues for success comes down to a tightening of focus. As a team, proper execution leads to freedom.

Live in the present and escape the game.