1: The competition isn’t always the competition.
The real competition is often the status quo. Or, doing nothing.
“When you’re facing any kind of decision that’s a bit complex, you’ll put off making that decision until you’re sure which choice is the best,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their powerful book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
“Unsure about where they should invest their money, time, and … continue reading
1: Did you know that Babe Ruth began his baseball career in 1914 using a 54-ounce bat?
“That’s a big bat,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their powerful book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
“For those of you who are not familiar with what’s ‘normal’ for baseball bats,” the authors note, “most professional baseball players today use a bat that weighs between 31 and 35 ounces.”… continue reading
1: Turns out anxiety and excitement are the exact same emotion.
Physiologically, that is. Which just means how your body operates.
“Whether you are anxious about something or excited about it, your body responds in a nearly identical ‘high arousal’ state,” Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
How does your body react?
“You have excess energy, you may feel butterflies in your stomach, … continue reading
1: “I’m getting close to retiring and, frankly, it is scaring the bejesus out of me,” says Dennis, who is sixty-six and lives in rural Kansas.
“For the past forty years, Dennis has worked in higher education, overseeing grant programs for low-income students and serving as their academic adviser,” Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
“I’ve worked hard to help underprepared students find … continue reading
1: How do you personally respond when adversity strikes?
Do you see adversity as a challenge you can meet, or as a threat that could overwhelm you?
Your perspective on adversity significantly impacts your life.
Good news: There’s a proven way to shift from threat to challenge. Read on to learn how.
“In a threat mindset, you focus on the potential for risk, danger, harm, or loss,” Jane McGonigal writes … continue reading
1: Ready for an interesting fact about games?
When we play them, we almost never feel hopeless.
“It’s true,” Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
“Psychologists have studied the top emotions during game play, and genuine anxiety and pessimism are extremely rare,” Jane notes. “Even when we’re losing or struggling, we’re vastly more likely to feel determined and optimistic than panicked or powerless.”… continue reading
“Games are not just a source of entertainment. They are a model of how to become the best version of ourselves,” game designer and researcher Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
Last week, we explored how Jane created a game (later called SuperBetter) to help her recovery from a concussion. Following her injury, she was plagued by suicidal thoughts. As a PhD … continue reading
1: “Why is it so hard to let go?” Marilyn said.
Marilyn was ninety-six years old. A naturally curious person, she had engaged Diane Button, an end-of-life doula, because she wanted to die well.
“She was willing and even excited to do the work to make that happen,” Diane writes in her wonderful book What Matters Most: Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living.
Initially, Marilyn told Diane … continue reading
1: “Who wouldn’t want to lead a life truer to their dreams and free of regret?” Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
Yesterday, we explored how people can become stronger and happier after trauma, a process scientists call “post-traumatic growth.”
And yet, Jane notes, “I’m pretty sure no one would ever choose to suffer a terrible loss, an injury, an … continue reading
How does creating a game help someone recover from a brain injury?
1: “How could a game so seemingly trivial, so admittedly simple, intervene so powerfully in such serious, in some cases life-and-death, circumstances?” Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
Following her 2009 concussion, Jane was at her lowest point, plagued by suicidal thoughts.
Then, suddenly, she had a thought: What if … continue reading
