Summary

The author of the website content discusses how gaming skills and mindsets can be applied to real life to achieve success and personal growth.

Abstract

The article "Leveling Up in Real Life" presents a unique perspective on how gamers can leverage their virtual experiences to enhance their real-world lives. The author reflects on the realization that the dedication and skills cultivated through gaming can be repurposed to set and achieve life goals. By treating life as a game with clear objectives, the author suggests that one can better define their purpose and take control of their personal development. The piece draws parallels between gaming avatars and one's physical body, emphasizing the importance of maintaining and improving one's health to perform better in life's challenges. It also touches on the concept of choosing one's "life class" to build a unique character, much like in role-playing games. Furthermore, the author draws on the complex economic systems found in games to highlight the potential for gamers to excel in personal finance and the stock market. The resilience and persistence required to overcome difficult gaming challenges are likened to the determination needed to face real-life obstacles. Ultimately, the article encourages readers to adopt a gamer's mindset to level up in life, embracing each day as a new level to conquer.

Opinions

The author believes that the hours spent gaming are not wasted but can be a source of valuable skills applicable to real-life success.
Viewing one's body as an avatar in the game of life can lead to a more objective and proactive approach to health and fitness.
Life, like an open-world game, offers immense freedom, and it is the individual's responsibility to define their objectives and purpose within it.
The concept of life classes and builds allows for a creative and personalized approach to career and skill development.
The author suggests that the analytical and organizational skills used in managing in-game economies can translate to successful financial management in real life.
Persistence in gaming, especially in overcoming difficult challenges, is seen as a transferable skill that can help in dealing with life's adversities.
The article promotes the idea that adopting a strategic, game-like approach to life can lead to a sense of accomplishment and personal fulfillment.

Leveling Up in Real Life

How a simple perspective shift helped me utilize my gaming skills to win at life!

Gamers possess a unique set of skills, strategies, and mindsets honed through countless hours navigating virtual worlds. We often believe that these abilities are confined to the realm of PCs and consoles, but what if I told you that these gaming skills could be your secret weapon to success in real life? Imagine leveling up your life by treating reality as a game. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?

During one of our many gaming sessions, my friends and I scrolled through our Steam profiles to find out who had logged the most gaming hours — surprisingly, the counts were in the thousands! One of my buddies jokingly said, “Geez, if we devoted this much dedication to real-life goals, we’d all be billionaires!” That playful comment sparked a thought: what if we did?

Contemplating further, I started noticing many parallels between life and gaming. If I applied the skills and expertise honed through gaming to play the Game of Life, would I win? Intrigued by this idea, I decided to put it into action, and here’s what I found.

Defining Objectives and Goals

Every game has a clear objective — be it the rescue of a princess, the conquest of a kingdom, or the unraveling of complex puzzles. But Life is different! It’s an ultra-massive open-world game, offering an unprecedented degree of freedom. Frankly, a bit too much freedom if you ask me! Within this vastness, I could dedicate my whole life solely to exploring the game. But then I’d run the risk of ending up in the middle of nowhere.

Sure, my parents, teachers, mentors and friends could all help guide me to identify my goals in life. My life’s purpose, if that makes it more clear. But ultimately, it’s my responsibility to carve out my purpose. After all, I’m the player!

Your Body is Your Avatar

I’ve noticed that many people, myself included, treat their bodies and themselves as the same thing. However, when I began viewing Life as a game, this perception had to change. My body became my avatar, and I became the player. This shift in perspective allowed me to assess my body from an outsider’s perspective and judge it more objectively. Just as I change my avatar's appearance, abilities and stats, I could also do that with my body. Want more strength? Lift weights. Want more stamina? Go running. Want to be more active? Eat and sleep better. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

I get that Life is not as simple as just clicking buttons in the game. Lifting weights, for instance, takes a lot more effort. But knowing that succeding in a game would be infinitely harder with a crappy avatar gave me the motivation I needed to exercise more regularly and eat better.

Building Your Unique Character

Just as games become more challenging as we progress, life presents new obstacles and complexities as we grow older. Similar to leveling up in a game, each stage of life demands skills, knowledge, and strategies to overcome hurdles and progress further. This is where the choice of class and build becomes crucial.

Games typically offer starting classes like Warrior, Thief, Mage, and Archer. Similarly, life presents its classes, or “Jobs,” such as Doctors, Engineers, Musicians, Farmers, and more. Yet, we aren’t confined to these preset classes; we have the freedom to multi-class, crafting our unique combinations. Just as in games, each build in life has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. It’s all about how you like to play and what works best for you.

I opted for the Data Scientist + Musician + Writer class. Let me know your unique build in the comments!

Currency and Trading

If you’ve ever dived into games like Sid Meier’s Civilization, EVE Online, Monster Hunter, or Path of Exile, you get how complex they can be. Managing trade, currency, equipment, and inventory in these games demands real skill and effort. My buddies and I even ended up making massive Excel sheets and using various trackers and calculators just to keep everything in check. Turns out all that complex math from school finally had a purpose!

Comparing these games to real-life money, commodities, and the stock market, some might argue that reality is simpler. If I could do well in these games, could I not apply the same principles to gain financial freedom in real life? This thought inspired me to begin my journey into personal finance and learn more about the banking system, the global economy, and the stock market. It’s still early days for me in this realm and only time will tell if I’ve done things right.

Persistence and Resilience

When I dive into any Souls-like game, I’m fully aware that death is lurking around the corner. These games are incredibly tough, with no option to tone down the difficulty level, and each time you die, you lose all your hard-earned currency! There’s danger everywhere — any nook or cranny might hide a foe ready to take you down in just a couple of hits. And let’s not even start on the bosses. Malenia, Blade of Miquella, for instance, has been the downfall of countless players (check out this infographic for the stats).

Despite this insane difficulty level and the heavy penalty for dying, these are hands down my favorite type of games. If you’re wondering why and if I might be a bit crazy, the answer’s simple. The satisfaction of finally overcoming a Boss after numerous failed attempts is an absolute rush. There’s something truly special about facing a challenge that seems insurmountable initially, and eventually triumphing through pure hard work and persistence. That feeling is indescribable, addictive, and trust me, I’m not alone in feeling this way. Elden Ring alone sold millions of copies and clinched the game of the year in 2022.

These games have taught me that life’s failures and struggles are akin to these in-game bosses. And when I eventually conquer them through dedication and hard work, that same indescribable feeling of accomplishment and exhilaration awaits. It’s an unmatched sensation, and I’m eagerly looking forward to experiencing more of it.

By adopting a gamer’s mindset and applying gaming principles, anyone can level up their existence. Remember that life is a grand adventure and you hold the controller. Approach it strategically, embrace challenges, learn from failures, and celebrate victories. Treat each day as a new level to conquer and watch yourself thrive in this extraordinary game called life.