Imagine you were to experience back pain and disability after an acute back injury.
Turns out you will likely fall into one of two distinct groups.
“Researchers have known for years that some people who experience acute back pain recover successfully and lead full lives, while others experience ongoing pain that eventually leads to disability,” Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
What determines … continue reading
“If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” —T. S. Eliot
1: You have a goal.
You will likely encounter obstacles or challenges that you must overcome to reach your goal.
Game designer and PhD Jane McGonigal calls these “The bad guys.”
Bad guys test us and make things tough, creating challenges to overcome.
There are always bad guys in the games we … continue reading
1: What’s the secret to a happy marriage?
Want to be thought of as more creative and effective at work?
Would you like to be less vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder?
Research shows there’s a simple way to increase the likelihood of these outcomes.
How? Simply increase the ratio of positive to negative emotions in your life.
“A myriad of studies show that having more positive emotions, … continue reading
1: What if you could feel better anytime, anyplace, no matter what?
And not only that, but you could also live ten years longer.
Sounds good, right?
How do you do this? The answer is found in an unexpected place, Jane McGonigal writes in her book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully.
Chances are, if you are a gamer, you know about power-ups.
“They’re the bonus items that … 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
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
