Growth Mindsets and Video Games

At this point in life, I’d say just about everybody has played a video game or two. I am a video game enthusiast! I love the challenge of learning a new game and getting better at it over time. I was talking to Dianne about the parallels between growth mindset and video games and I thought this would be a good place to explore that idea.

Starting at the Beginning

In life, as in video games, we start off with very little. You start gaining experience right away. Because that’s what games use to measure competency. Experience. At first the levels are easy. You learn to walk, and you level up. You learn to talk, you level up again. At first, you’re flying through the levels, because at the beginning, the goals are easy to accomplish. Like in video gaming, we celebrate these early milestones with great gusto, because leveling up means we get to go on to newer, more difficult challenges. Moving on to something more difficult is the point.

Taking on the Bosses

If you’ve ever played a game you will come across a “boss“. This is a big enemy, usually with a bunch of little enemies around it. In the gaming world, we affectionately call the little enemies “trash mobs“. Just like in real life, beating the bosses at their own game requires a lot of observation and patience. You have to know just when to strike and what equipment you need, in order to come out victorious. Just like in real life, when you encounter a “boss” event, you need to be prepared to level up.

Party On!

It seems like common sense, but you will get better at gaming the more hours you put into it. It may seem like a waste of time to the people around you, especially if they don’t share your passions. That’s why it’s important to to have positive reinforcement in your party. In gaming, a “party” is the group of people that follow you on your quest, lending their skills and support to further your cause.

This is so true in real life, too. Your real life “party” is made of your family and friends, people who are rooting for your success. Surrounding yourself with a party of people as dedicated as you are is an integral part of leveling up. Make sure you choose wisely, because the people you associate yourself with are an important component to your success.

Practice Makes Perfect

Here’s where it really gets down to the nitty-gritty. Just like in real life, you have to put in the time and effort to get better. This means lots of failure. Lots of it. Embrace it! Fail like a champ!

You are going to miss that jump. At least a hundred times. The bosses are going to destroy you. It’s going to happen. But that doesn’t mean the end for our hero. If you keep trying, you’re going to get better. That’s just how it works. You can beat the level by putting in the time; there’s no other way.

We haven’t really talked about neuroplasticity yet, but we’re going to get into that a little now. Neuroplasticity is basically your brain making new paths between neurons, allowing you to do new tasks better and faster with each repetition, in the same way that playing a game allows you to develop muscle memory over time. By repeating difficult tasks, we make those pathways stronger. Stronger pathways means you’re that much closer to leveling up each time you try (or every time you play). So keep trying and have faith in the process.

Regroup and Re-Equip

Sometimes, whether fighting bosses or getting overwhelmed by trash mobs, you realize that the strategy and equipment you’re using just isn’t working. You can decide to continue on with the weapons you have, or you can regroup, change your approach, and try again. Maybe you need different armor, or a different weapon. Maybe you missed a turning point along the way somewhere. Maybe you need to sneak in under the radar, then pop out and blast the enemies when they least expect it.

I am sure all of us have a scenario in our real lives where we encountered an obstacle and spent some time charging pointlessly at it over and over again with the same mindset, approach, and “equipment”. In those cases, sometimes taking a step back, re-evaluating your options, and coming up with a new strategy will get you the win.

Consulting the Oracle

This maybe the hardest part about gaming. Asking for help. You have to do it to get by the big bosses, though. A lot of times in life, we have to do this. too. Whether it’s just a simple Google away or you need to consult a professional, asking for help can sometimes mean the difference between leveling up or just dying again. If you feel like you’ve come up against a wall in your life, maybe it’s time to seek help. Asking for help can take many forms, but you need to know that successful people ask for help.

Some people in the gaming world see this as “cheating”, or taking the easy way out (in other words, “weakness”), but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It takes a lot of guts to admit that you don’t have all the answers. Strong people are those who can reach out when they are at the end of their rope. They use the resources available to them and are better people because of it.

Game Over

When you reach the last and final boss, and you’ve passed the last save point, you’re ready as you’re going to get. Life is the game that is for keeps, and that’s all the more reason to get all you can out of it. Try new things. Explore new places. Defeat bigger and badder bosses. It’s all up to you. I know that my “game” has been quite challenging, but I’ve learned so much, and I would never go back to a past “save point” to change a single choice. Those are the things that have leveled me up. The experiences I have been through have shaped me into the person (player) that I’ve become.

What are some of your experiences that have “leveled you up”? Do you see the parallels between gaming and the growth mindset? Share your experiences, strengths, and hopes below with me. Until next time!

Photo credits:

• Leveling up – Mike Bogle
• Lego Dormamo – Ant-man
• Party of Adventurers – Bholenath Valsan