[Gozunn]

Originally Posted by sadavis00

"Step 2: Write your 'Golden rules', WTF are golden rules you might ask. These are the things that you MUST do everyday. Don't make too many or the game will backfire. "

I agree that to build discipline, rewarding and punishing yourself will work (though there is the problem of starting to feel like you are a military dictator to yourself). But, I think you should be more clear with Step 2. The "golden rules" are not stuff you "MUST do". Rather, they are things that align with your character and nature, such that there is clear direction as to what to do next, such that it leaves you with no regrets after you do something; a direction you DISCOVER (not invent) in yourself (so, studying for 2 hours has an opportunity cost of not hanging out with friends, I recognize this opportunity cost, but I do not regret studying for 2 hours, it follows from the direction of my life, I could not have reasonally/morally done otherwise).

The idea of "game" is appealing, but in real life there are no hard-and-fast rules that are either given to you, nor which you already "have" (like the "rule" that I "must" do well on a test). We are not ALL playing life as "just a game", maybe only some of are, maybe those who don't yet have a direction, an inner compass. If life is a game, then it is a strange one, because it doesn't matter how much effort you put into it or how intelligent you are; how you do in all the "missions". No, what you have to do to really "WIN", is to do things feeling like a winner, that is all. If you do things feeling like a loser, even if do well in all the hurdles others set for you, or you yourself set for yourself, you will not "win", unless you do so with the right inner attitude of being a winner (an attitude that has nothing to do with whether you "win" at some mission or not).

I don't mean to be moralizing, but I've tried this idea of "life as a game", life which has to be lived "efficiently" (exactly what I used to think), and it simply does not work without having a proper inner compass for what one should do that will not lead to no regrets (even if you make mistakes). Life can be lived like just a game, but it will not be be very good life.

Well its worked handsomely for me so far (8 days and counting), I think it will get a bit stale as I reach the 4th week but if it doesen't work it will at least have helped me through the first stages of self discipline. These stages are difficult and I could only get through to them in a 'fun' way (as fun as you can get), but its only fun because its fresh I think it'll sicken me once a certain period of time has passed (I won't want to look at numbers again for sure) but afterwards I won't need the game to pursue my goals everyday because once you develop a habit (good and bad) you tend to keep it. So I still believe there's some substance to this idea.


Can you elaborate on how you went about YOUR way of 'life as a game'?

Originally Posted by ken nubo

Sounds interesting but god, this thing is soooooo dorky.

Kinda reminds me of D and D, heh.

It IS geeky, but hell I've spent 3/4 of my life as a lazy-ass jock, time to start something new