As you saw recently, it is a struggle to rise above unfairness in life. Unfortunately there is inequity all around us and if we want to challenge and change any of it then we need to be in as good a place as possible ourselves.
So how do I manage to find that place of calm? Am I really letting things go? Or have I found a way to weave these instances into my life story without condoning or excusing them, but to make peace so I can move forward.
Gamifying life transforms mundane or challenging issues into opportunities for personal development and joy. It allows me to not only rise above shit, but weirdly enjoy myself while doing so. Oh and it also brings an instant element of control that helps me minimise tongue biting and stabby urges.
Gamifying your life
Gamification; the practice of making tasks, activities and encounters more like games in order to make them interesting or enjoyable.
The idea is that by turning mundane tasks and daily encounters into a game, you can rise above frustration and find intrinsic motivation and joy.
This could involve using game mechanics such as points, badges, or leaderboards to make tasks more engaging and enjoyable. The approach can be applied to various aspects of life, including productivity, education, fitness, personal finance, and household chores. You can see this built into many apps with badges to be earned and streaks to be maintained. On a simpler level this is what a lot of bullet journallers are doing with their daily habit trackers.
If you are a geeky gamer like me then you will already be familiar with Role Playing Games (RPG) and know what rolling your stats means. It comes from Dungeons and Dragons originally, and more often than not doesn’t involve physical dice anymore thanks to video games like World of Warcraft.
I chose my IRL (In Real Life) character attributes at the beginning of the year as part of my journaling reflection on 2023 and setting my intentions and visualisations for what I want to achieve in 2024. My most important personal words, my character attributes if you will, are; kindness, calm, commitment, focus, and positivity.
Thinking about ourselves in this way can help flip our mindset on the bits of life that can feel like a slog.
What if we treated parts of our day as an adventure in an MMORPG, a vast and ever evolving world brimming with opportunities instead?
Where, YOU, the player, gets to choose your character; kind, calm, committed, focused, and positive. Where YOU can set your goals so that every completed task and obstacle overcome, earns you XP (experience points) and unlocks new abilities.
Boss battles, where you have to face difficult people and difficult situations become opportunities to hone your skills, test your limits, and emerge stronger, more resilient.
Retail work = boss level fights
Working in retail is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Kudos to anyone who sticks at it for more than a few years, especially those who still strive to delight their customers.
As manager of a phoneshop I was often asked to step in to deal with a difficult customer.
I know we are supposed to feel compassion for people who treat us unkindly, and wonder what trauma in their life has made them act that way. It’s hard to maintain that position though when you are in the firing line, they are shouting and swearing at you who has done nothing wrong, oh and you HAVE to be polite. I needed a method to make this feel ok, treating someone kindly who very much wasn’t treating us the same way.
I don’t remember when I first heard the term “kill them with kindness” but it instantly appealed. The implication that it is possible to use GENTLE to smother something VIOLENT.
Also let’s face it, the human urges we sometimes have to fight against like the desire for revenge and people getting their karma, are appeased a little by knowing it is REALLY VERY EXCEEDINGLY irritating to be on the receiving end of someone getting nicer and nicer as you are being nastier and nastier *evil grin*
Treating it as a game, to get kinder and kinder no matter how badly they were acting, became a way to win an otherwise impossible situation. I took control, it was a conscious decision that allowed me to rise above and have a small secret smile inside too.
Each difficult customer, no longer a source of stress but a 'boss level' to conquer. Each successful interaction, where we maintain composure and kindness, earns us XP. This mindset turns potential conflicts into opportunities for growth, making each day a quest for personal improvement.
Apply a gamers GRIND mindset to real life
World of Warcraft; grind to play with friends
I adore World of Warcraft, I’ve played it more hours than I care to admit. I genuinely can’t remember now what my /played was, but it was scary!
I’ve been thinking about how well games are designed. They make you willing to do the most mundane and boring and repetitive tasks in the game for HOURS each day or week, which gamers call the GRIND, in order to achieve a bigger goal. For me that was to be able to play the end game raids with my friends and guild mates. You needed to earn game currency to be able to buy all the potions and equipment that gave you the best chance of success.
The social element of WoW was huge too, completing a quest in an unusual way was another tactic to breathe fresh life into something you have done many times before. The guild I used to run was called Smite Club, and we used to do ‘naked’ runs through some of the dungeon instances like Zul’Gurub, making it both tricky and really silly. Friends can help us reframe an activity into something joyful even if you’ve done it a million times before.
Minecraft and Hermitcraft; Fun with friends while grinding
My other favourite game is Minecraft. I may have hinted before how much I love a particular group of players who play on an SMP (Survival Multiplayer) called Hermitcraft.
They are renowned for building huge, beautiful and complicated structures in the game. In order to be able to do that, they need to grind to gather all the blocks and a lot of mining and crafting. They are dedicated to this and spend many hours gathering materials.
One of the many things that they do really well, is show how the time passes by more quickly if you can do it with a friend. If you can have a laugh at the same time, even better So many Hermits make me laugh a LOT, but MumboJumbo and Iskall end busting shows the joy of being with a friend while completing a potentially boring task.
Don’t ditch the GRIND in real life, remember it’s part of winning in the wider game!
Why do we tend to be quick to ditch the basics of GRINDING in real life, even though we know we have a LOT MORE to lose if we do?
The simple and “boring” things in life can give the most value; spending time with loved ones, getting enough sleep, eating healthily, moving our bodies more and having geeky fun. We need to apply a gamers mindset to this part of life, remind ourselves that grinding is good!
We can find ways, like in gamification, to reward ourselves over and above the benefits these grinds will deliver anyway. Treat yourself to something, especially if you are also investing in yourself!
I’ve cracked this with gamification type of thinking, well mostly anyway hehe. I get up early to make sure I can get a walk in so I’m hitting a minimum of 10,000 steps a day to name but one small change I’ve made in my life for the better.
I grind because it gives me the XP and currency to win my bigger battles and complete awesome quests.
TL:DR
In gamifying life, we not only make our workday more enjoyable but also engage in a form of active self-improvement. Each difficult interaction is a test of our chosen attributes, pushing us to develop these traits further. This approach also fosters a positive mindset, helping us to see challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles.
By viewing life through the lens of a game, every challenging situation becomes a chance to 'level up' in the game of personal development. This mindset not only makes daily tasks more enjoyable but also encourages growth, resilience, and a positive outlook on life's challenges.
Just like in a game, the more we play, the better we get, and the more we enjoy the journey.
Go through life with a cheat code
By tapping into the intrinsic motivators of the human mind, you can not only overcome petty annoyances but also level up your life with every interaction.
Each conquered challenge earns you points and propels you forward. The mundane transforms into an engaging adventure, fuelled by the dopamine rush of progress and achievement.
Gamification doesn't just feel good; it hacks into the core motivators of the human mind. Studies by Yu-kai Chou, a pioneer in gamification, identify key motivators like;
Achievement: Each completed task becomes a tangible achievement, boosting your sense of accomplishment and self-worth.
Progress: The visual representation of progress through levels fuels a desire to keep going, pushing you to reach new heights.
Social connection: Foster collaboration and friendly competition among connections, build a supportive and engaging environment with a sense of belonging and value.
Before I leave you, my top 5 tips when LFG (Looking for group)
1. Choose Your Character Attributes Wisely
Just like in RPG games, select personal attributes you want to develop. Attributes like kindness, patience, focus, or positivity can be your 'stats' in real life.
2. Set Daily Quests and Challenges
Turn daily tasks or challenges into quests. Assign yourself small, achievable goals each day, like handling a difficult situation with grace.
3. Track Your Progress and Rewards
Keep a log of your interactions and their outcomes. Celebrate small victories and learn from setbacks.
4. Level Up Through Experience
Every challenge you face is an opportunity to 'level up'. Reflect on your experiences to gain insights and improve your skills.
5. Play with Others: Build Your Party
Involve friends, family, or colleagues in your gamified approach. Share your goals and support each other in your quests.
So dear friends, pick up your virtual sword, don your armour of positivity, and embark on the ultimate quest to level up your life with gamification!
Remember, the hero's journey isn't just about slaying all your monsters; it's about unlocking your potential and making every interaction an adventure.
PS: Please share your top tips and chat codes for gamifying life, Sarah xxx
PPS: Currently listening to;
Anna Goldsmith singing You Slayed All My Monsters <3
I feel like this is a gaming, geeking, welcome to life, surviving the double ones to get to the crit roles book in the making.