How to Live Life Like a Game

Is life just a simple game for you? Do you level up? Do you get new skills and experiences that can help you win the game of life?

I love the concept of treating life as a game. I often think this to myself and see life as a game where you need to level up, continue to build and grow as a person. Think of monopoly… it’s kind of like growing your assets, continually building and reaching another level.

Today, we have a guest post from Derek McCullough who explores this concept further to help you learn how you can start to live life like a game.

Take it away, Derek!

Enter Derek

Maybe it was Mario trying to save Princess Toadstool or Link trying to save Zelda, or maybe Master Chief doing, well, whatever Master Chief does, but games are more popular now than they ever have been.

Have you ever played a great game? Any type of game. Video game, board game, card game, etc. Ever notice that games parallel life?  Games involve a series of problems your character faces, and you as the player must solve them. A good game usually has you build upon what you’ve learned before to defeat harder and harder challenges. Let’s take it the other way and look at life as a game.

The Levels of Life

There are many levels we play as we grow up. We start at Level 1 not knowing how to walk or feed ourselves. Sooner or later we end up on Level 20, or Level 30. Whatever Level you want to call what you’re on now.

We go through high school, we sometimes go to college, and we get jobs and pay bills. We find the routine, start to live it, and then never stop.

We can get stuck on this level. The going to work, coming home, doing nothing, and repeating level that we never seem to beat. We’re going to work and doing what we’re supposed to do, but our lives are moving at such a slow pace it doesn’t even feel like we’re alive anymore. Well, we’re kinda not.

I’ll admit that not long ago I had almost resigned to living that life. Playing out the same level. Grinding it out. Little by little, hand over hand, slowly making my way to the next level. At least I thought I’d make it to the next level.

Each level of life should be challenging to you, but not hard on you. Throughout your game of life, you should feel uncomfortable, but not be in pain, depressed, or unhappy. If you feel negative, you’re stuck on a level you don’t particularly like. You’re stuck in a game you don’t like.

Remember, you’re the player. You’re in control. You choose the game. You choose the rules. You can choose a different level.

Unlimited Lives

In a video game, the character you play will have a set number of lives. They are a limited number of chances to succeed. This was usually the case back in the days of the arcade and still remains true in some games. In special cases and with certain “cheat” codes, you are able to unlock unlimited lives, meaning you have an unlimited numbers of opportunities to succeed.

Life is actually the same case. You have unlimited “lives”. Until the figure in the black robe with the giant scythe comes and presses your power button, you can keep trying and trying to beat the level you’re on. You can change the game and play out a different story.

You aren’t stuck in any level or in any game. You’re stuck because you’re doing it the same way. You keep trying to tackle a problem with the same methods.

Look back at the challenges you’ve conquered. Identify what it is that made you succeed. Combine previous tactics and modify those strategies to attack your problems from a different angle, with added gusto.

Remember, as long as you keep playing the game, no matter if you “die” on a given attempt, you always have the chance to try again.  Attack it a different way. Change it up, and you’ll find the successful strategy.  Then, learn and be better prepared for the next, tougher level.

Have Fun

Great games are fun, and so life should be. I’m sure you don’t want to trudge and slog your way through an ordinary life, so don’t. Choose a life full of adventure and challenges.

Maybe that means choosing a different game than the one your playing, the game you might feel stuck at.  Whatever you end up choosing, you never fail if you don’t give up. Quitting is true failure. Temporary failure is the learning required to finally beat the game. It’s the key to finally winning.

Derek is extremely passionate about personal development and helping others achieve success.  Subscribe for more on uncovering your personal passion, living a life worth living, physical and mental conditioning and more at his Personal Development blog.

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