Ive been loving the work of Jane McGonigal recently and her ideas around gaming and it’s connection to mental health.

In part of her work she speaks about her own head trauma she suffered then starting to develop an attitude like she was in a game eg looking for her ‘power ups’ in the day and how this helped her. The book she wrote was called Super better’. Ive got in on order myself and it got some great reports.

It got me looking at my life more like this and thinking about where my power ups are and acknowledging when I need them.

Today the gym was a massive one. I felt on empty then the run on the machine was so invigorating. I was like the game character on the last square of life then suddenly getting the replenishment.

I find that looking at life through the game kind of lens though can go much bigger than this though.

Games and simulations are the second best way to learn after doing the real thing. See the cone of learning (1969). Robert Kiyosaki discusses this in his books on Entrepreneurship.

Playing games for me now is a power up and also a simulation learning tool around epic stories and putting me as the centre hero which can be applied. Although I’m yet to get so into role playing games I can see how as an idea they are all about connection making with others then moving to complete your mission and make the big difference in the world.

I’ve become interested in human qualities created here of epic meaning, being productive, and being a hopeful person who feels they can make a difference. ( as Jane McGonigal discuses in her videos)

I can see too how in games we learn in our most primal way we work by just doing and making mistakes and doing again, like a child learning to walk. I refer to this a lot with clients and it relates a lot to what Robert Kiyosaki discusses in his books how in school we are taught mistakes are bad but they are our greatest tools for growth provided we learn from them.

Work I’ve been doing recently about being in the ‘ho hum’ of life versus being in the creative space makes it clear that it’s when we can centre ourselves as the hero and navigator of our life is the edge of our comfort zone is where life truly begins.

The ho hum is just some stuff being good, some bad and recreating these same patterns. Its okay if that’s where you want to be but it can be helpful to see that this is what you are creating and its up to you if you stay there or not.

Taking a few minutes to be mindful of your patterns and what you do can be key to then finding a way out to a more creative adventure and to move towards what it is you really want and to what it is you can offer.

I think it’s easy to be in the ho hum and not even be aware of our power ups. Just being in the current, current affairs, current trends, just being pulled along.

It takes discipline to anchor ones self and to take charge and to recognise the patterns we are recreating.

I’ve been learning that seeing yourself as the hero in your story is a really powerful way to live and work. Recognising where your power ups are, playing your own karma cards and ultimately just moving to be the best you can be.

Ive been thinking a lot today about the Helen Keller quote ‘Life is a daring adventure or it is nothing.’ Ask yourself where you would put your life right now and remember it’s your choice.

I’d like to encourage you to start to learn by games too as a power up and something that make you better at life. Right now I am havng a great appreciation for my video game time as a power up and general me building up. I also regularly have meetings to play the cashflow boardgame to learn financial intelligence. Id recommend checking out Jane McGonigals work on exciting power of games too and the great qualities created.

Ask yourself how you are learning right now and if you are in the ho um or at you creative edge. What does it take for you to change ?

All too often we can just be in the ho hum of life and Id like you to question if this is where you are and what it will take for you to move out of this into your creative hero journey.

Where are the power ups you need? What roles are you playing you want to leave behind? It can be so easy to get stagnant but life can really be the adventure with you as the centre figure if you want it to be.