1: Say you’re faced with a difficult challenge.

Or a big opportunity.

What if you approached it like a game?

This is the main idea behind Jane McGonigal’s SuperBetter framework, described in her book. It uses allies, quests, power-ups, bad guys, and epic wins to help you become more resilient and make real progress.

Yesterday, we looked at how radio producer Alex Goldman used SuperBetter to recover after … continue reading

1: What do you do when the battery turns red on your phone?  You recharge it.

Yet, many people who are tired and overworked just trudge forward.

Which begs the question, “Why do you think you can force yourself to run well on empty?” Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram write in their book The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time.

“People … continue reading

1: Jennifer’s father was ill.
“The two things that he could do to improve his physical condition most significantly are to eat better and exercise,” she tells Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram, who write in their book The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time.
And, “the two things he refuses to do are eat better and exercise,” she says.
Jennifer … continue reading

1: So what exactly is a habit?

Yes, it is an outfit a nun wears, Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit: A Guide to Becoming the Best Possible Version of Yourself, One Tiny Habit at a Time.

But, more importantly, “it’s an action that you take on a repeated basis with little or no required effort or thought,” he writes.

The key part of the definition? The second half … continue reading

1: The year was 1975.

Psychologists Edwin Locke and Gary Latham measured how fast forty-five of the fastest typists at a large company were able to generate text.

“The typists knew they were among the best in the company, but they had never measured how quickly they typed,” Charles Duhigg writes in Smarter Faster Better.

On average, each typist generated ninety-five lines of output per hour, setting a clear … continue reading

1: In July of 2009, game designer and PhD Jane McGonigal suffered a severe concussion.

“There is no known effective therapy or treatment for post-concussion syndrome,” Jane writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.

She was on total cognitive rest.  “I literally had nothing to do.  ‘Rest and wait’ is the only prescription,” she recalls.  “Which meant I couldn’t do anything that stimulated my brain: No … 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: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.

Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we’re working on at PCI.

Last month, I shared my proven annual goal-setting process.   For the past seven years, I have selected ten annual goals. Which I call “The 10.”

I select my goals from … continue reading

1: For the first twenty-plus years of my adult life, my morning routine revolved around this question:

What is the absolute last possible minute I can set my alarm where I have time to shower, shave, and still make it to the office on time?

When I say the “absolute last possible minute,” I mean Absolute.  Last.  Possible.  Minute.

There’s a better way.  And a better life.  It starts with … continue reading

The stats tell a sobering story.

Obesity is a national epidemic. Rates of depression are at an all-time high. More than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Personal debt continues to skyrocket.

In his book, The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod shares statistics from the Social Security Administration: If we take 100 people at the start of their career and follow them for the next 40 years until they … continue reading