Why I'm Gamifying Life | Weekbook #20

For as long as I can remember, video games have been part of my life. Some of my earliest memories include playing online MMORPGs on dial-up internet and losing connection whenever the house phone rang, playing Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Megadrive, and of course, playing Pokemon on my Gameboy. In fact, gaming influenced me to the point where I initially went to university to study Computer Science, specialising in Games Technology.

Admittedly, I probably played too many games growing up - arguably I still do. In fact, I often wonder how my life would have differed had gaming not been so prominent, so much so that I've tried to quit cold-turkey many times over the years to see if I can measure the effect it could have, but I'm always drawn back in like a drug and recently this got me thinking.

One game, in particular, has drawn me back in more than any other, Runescape. It's an MMORPG unlike any other. There are skills for you to level up, places to explore, quests to complete, and bosses to fight. There are no restrictions on how you approach the game unless they are self-imposed. It is truly unique. It is also incredibly time-consuming. The higher your levels get, the more difficult it becomes to level up, taking hundreds of hours to reach the maximum level in just one skill, and predictably, like all good games, the best rewards are reserved for those who dedicate their time and effort.

But why spend all this time leveling up a digital skill for digital rewards? One word. Dopamine.

Dopamine is a chemical released in your brain that, in short, makes you feel good. It is released through various activities such as exercise, gaming, achieving a goal or getting notifications on social media, and it always leaves you wanting more. Games like Runescape leverage this perfectly, and it was this that got me thinking - what if you could gamify your entire life?

I've always struggled with being disciplined. No matter the goal or activity, I inevitably get bored and move on to the next shiny object. It makes achieving long-term goals bloody difficult. I've tried a number of techniques to build and track both habits and goals, with some success, but nothing sustainable and long-term. However, I've never had the same issue when achieving goals inside a game.

Naturally, this got me thinking. Why can I grind out my goals digitally when I struggle to do so in the real world? I always come back to the same answer, the reward framework and gamification. This isn't pure theory, either. When I reflect on my childhood, we kept a chart on the kitchen wall with chores listed against our names. Each time I completed a chore, I received a gold star. When I earned enough gold stars, I got a reward, and it didn't stop there. The chores themselves were turned into games. A fond favourite of mine was the sock machine. This game involved my sister and I matching pairs of socks and throwing them into an Ikea bag. We would do this frequently and without fuss, all because it had been turned into a game with a reward at the end.

So why not apply this same principle to adult life, too? Sure, there is a stigma that adults shouldn't play games and that they should grow up, but I challenge that. Why not turn life into a giant, single-player game, full of rewards to achieve and xp to gain? Well, that's exactly what I'm going to do.

I'm going to establish a framework, breaking out each area of my life into a skill. I'll create a leveling-up system and integrate rewards. Everything I do will earn XP, scaled in accordance with the activity. Furthermore, I'm going to document the whole journey and share the lessons I learn along the way.

Happy gaming.

Book Notes

I am currently reading Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life.

• "This is something with a two-fold meaning. It's an injunction, first, to note the reality of the limitations of individual being and, second, to accept and be thankful for the support of others - family, friends, acquaintances and strangers alike. Exhaustion and impatience are inevitable. There is too much to be done and too little time in which to do it. But we don't have to strive alone, and there is nothing but good in distributing the responsibilities, cooperating in the efforts, and sharing credit for the productive and meaningful work thereby undertaken."

I simply adore this extract. As someone who struggles immensely with embracing help from others, I relate to it deeply. I know that it is critical to share the burden with those who offer help willingly, but that is often easier said than done, for we often see it as our responsibility to protect our loved ones. However, the latter part of this extract delivers a crucial message in response to that very point. In many cases, it is a good thing to share the burden and offer up the opportunity to others to help. In the same way you long to help those you love, those who love you long to help you too.

• "There appear to be limits on the path to improvement beyond which we might not want to go, lest we sacrifice our humanity itself."

How far is too far on the road to improvement and what is the limit, if any? This a difficult question to answer and likely differs for each of us. I believe the key lies in understanding purpose, for when that is in full focus, the boundaries which you operate within becomes clear.

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Ending Quote

"The reality is life is a single-player game. You’re born alone. You’re going to die alone. All of your interpretations are alone. All your memories are alone. You’re gone in three generations and nobody cares. Before you showed up, nobody cared. It’s all single-player." - Naval Ravikant

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