Building a game from scratch seems simple on paper.

Know what the objective is.

Setting up the mechanics & rules.

Designing the game.

Ensuring that it's fun.

A lot goes into a game before it's shared & others are participating.

This has been on my mind since I'm coordinating games for Vacation Bible School. The theme is 'Wheels & Turns,' based on games and activities.

And it got me thinking of how games aren't just limited to when we're children.

It got me thinking of how game mechanics can be applied into our everyday lives as adults.

It got me thinking of gamification.

Origins of Gamification

Gamification is incorporating game elements & rules into a common setting.

Some examples include

• point systems with washing dishes

• a reward after checking inboxes

• a penalty for not checking bank accounts

This idea is often associated in business settings, which makes sense.

Working in any business can include repetitive, minimal tasks that can become boring and draining. It can affect morale, encourage quitting, and damage results.

A good solution is to introduce gamification and encourage personnel to complete the work, achieve goals, & build great rapport.

Soon gamification began to expand into communities, households, & personal lives.

Now it's becoming a staple for productivity & discipline.

But what actually goes into gamifying an area of life?

The answer is a bit complicated, but has a connecting goal.

Objective of Gamification

That connecting goal is our desire for success.

At the end of the day, we want to feel good.

Not just feel good, feel great.

And we feel great when we

• complete our tasks

• bring home the bread

• spend time with our tribe

Ever since humanity started to understand the world around them, we began to shape it to our fitting.

We built spears to catch food from a distance.

We built homes to protect us from the elements.

We hold rituals to honor the greater power and celebrate life together.

There's needs that need to be met & we'll do anything to achieve them.

A great outlook on this is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

He understood that there's external needs that we seek first to achieve - food, water, shelter.

And we continue to secure needs that begin to become internal - security, friendship, freedom.

Until we've reached our personal, internal need of fulfillment.

It's transforming our actions from many, short-term into one, long-term.

We all want to achieve that state, but there's layers of need in front of it with their own ways of achieving that.

That's where game mechanics can help make it simple & fun.

Mechanics of Gamification

Gamification transforms abstract goals into tangible gameplay.

It's combining our spiritual outlook with our physical actions.

Before we can live a good life, we have to understand that we are not in that.

That leads us to begin asking questions.

“Why am I not satisfied with my life?“

“What does a good life mean to me?“

“What does it look like?“

These questions will lead to answers that can help to visualize the end goal and the path to lead there.

They provide the rules of moving from the starting point into the gameplay.

“I'm struggling with my finances.”

“I want to be financially secure.”

“I would be investing, have an emergency fund, and pay off my debts.“

And these rules come in handy when you're making decisions towards the end goal.

It's a mix of strategy & luck.

Some days you'll succeed, other days it feels like a game over.

A simple approach is to

• start doing

• stay consistent

• learn & adapt

“I’ll open a brokerage account & learn from this channel.”

“I can eat my favorite snack everytime I put money into my emergency fund.”

“This credit card has a high interest so I'll put any extra money into that.”

Soon you'll start to see the game elements within these choices.

• starting the game

• gathering points

• gaining XP & leveling up

Realizing these elements & affirming them brings delight to our inner child.

The aspect that drives our inner motivation to succeed & not fail.

And our experienced side of the adult makes clear the map we're on and the destination we're heading to.

Catch-Up

This was an introduction to what I hope to be a series on this topic.

It's one that I'm interested in & still learning so much about.

This will be occurring monthly so stick around to see the next iteration on this topic.

If you also find gamification interesting or have used it in your life, share them below or reach me via email/DM.

Hope you enjoyed & check out related resources below.

Weekly Findings

The End-of-Day Survey- Dickie Bush

Another creator that has been influential in my productivity & lifestyle changes.

Dickie Bush was a trader that's becoming a high-leverage, online builder.

He helps creators to tap into their digital leverage & shares his insights on the topic.

And this week's thread shares how to improve your life by taking the End-of-Day Survey.

This strategy has helped Bush to flip his life around into one that he's proud of.

The outline goes:

1. Rate the day from -2 to 2, but 0 isn't an option.

2. What were my biggest wins & accomplishment today?

3. What moment could I have done better today?

4. Based on a above, what lessons & realizations can I take away?

5. What is 1 thing I'm grateful for?

6. What am I excited about tomorrow?

This strategy helps to wrap-up the day with success, humility, & gratitude all in one.

The key is to be honest and be specific as possible.

Bush records his answers on Excel, but you can record yours anywhere to look back on.

This helps to log your journey & build up momentum to reach your goals.

Take a read for more specifics & begin surveying your own day.

Life Is A Video Game - Dan Koe

Dan Koe's journey from failed businesses to experienced digital creator is magnificent.

He takes time to understand the craft and makes it his mission to add to the collective conscious of humanity.

In this video, Koe offers valuable insights to achieve success and fulfillment.

Through the eyes of a video game player.

Koe emphasizes the significance of setting clear goals, leveling up skills through continuous learning, and cultivating a supportive network.

He inspires viewers to no longer remain as NPC's under the program, or rules, of others.

Instead, to become the main characters following their own path & quests.

With his thought-provoking analogy, Koe encourages us to approach life with a gamer's mindset and take deliberate actions to conquer our goals.

• Set ambitious goals

• Invest in personal growth

• Forge meaningful connections

• Embrace setbacks as stepping stones to success

Are you ready to power up and unlock your potential?

A Framework On Actionable Gamification - Yu-Kai Chou

This was to be the original newsletter theme, but I still need to do more research on this.

Because Yu-Kai Chou is the Einstein of gamificiation.

In this Talks At Google video, Yu-Kai Chou introduces a practical framework for implementing gamification in various aspects of life.

Chou explains how gamification can enhance engagement, motivation, and productivity by applying game design principles to real-world scenarios.

He delves into the core components of his Octalysis framework:

1. Epic Meaning

2. Empowerment

3. Social Influence

4. Unpredictability

5. Avoidance

6. Scarcity

7. Ownership

8. Accomplishment

Chou provides concrete examples and actionable tips on how individuals and organizations can leverage gamification to drive desired behaviors and outcomes.

Some includie rehabilitation for children patients, AR apps, & social media platforms.

Take a look into his videos & be sure to check out his book, Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards.

One that I hope to share later this season.

Prepare to unlock the power of gamification and level up your personal and professional life!

Thank you for reading what'll be the first in the series on gamificiation.

It's something that I hope to practice & master one day.

Best wishes in your gameplay & hope you succeed on your quests.

Blessed day everyone!