A new year is approaching, you have set ambitious goals for yourself and start out highly motivated, until... until what? Until you realize at some point that yesterday's good intentions have become today's guilty conscience, because you haven't managed to do the necessary things to make your wishes come true. Does this sound familiar?
At the end of the day, achieving your goals feels like a TO DO, waiting to be checked off a list- just another task to be added to your already stressful schedule. This is where your motivation gets lost: the path to your goal becomes an obligation instead of a fun and active part of living the life you want.
This is where the gamification approach enters the stage.
Gamification has proven effective because it addresses several basic human needs and desires. Basically, setting up a reward system is what really drives gamification success. Gamification pushes you forward, even when things get tough. By using game mechanics in a non-game context, gamification makes tasks more fun and engaging. Imagine what it feels like to be transported to another world via an online video game. You master challenges, along the way you get incremental rewards, build skills, and earn small, steady wins. This feeling of "winning" gives players a constant sense of satisfaction and joy. Our brain releases dopamine when we experience something we enjoy, resulting in us seeking more enjoyment hence solving more challenges and quests along the way.
Imagine a brain's version of a carrot - it keeps you motivated and on task!
Best to be used with a tablet and a pen
