SuperBetter: How a gameful life can make you stronger, happier, braver and more resilient. Jane McGonigal
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don’t need to be a comic book genius to complete this quest, just do your best! And remember, don’t describe any superhero in particular. Instead, try to list characteristics that describe many, if not most, superheroes.
For the biggest impact, don’t just think of your answer. Write it down, or record it into your phone. At the very least, talk out loud to yourself—it will help you focus and fully lock in the benefits of this quest.
Why it works: Just thinking about what it takes to be a superhero makes you more likely to act like one in the future. You’re more likely to volunteer to help others and donate your time to a worthy cause.
Here’s the data on this quest: the MIT and NYU researchers found that study participants who completed the same quest you just completed were far more altruistic afterward. When asked to sign up to tutor local at-risk youth, twice as many participants who thought about superheroes volunteered as participants who did not think about superheroes (51 percent compared with 24 percent). Among those who volunteered, the superhero group volunteered twice as many hours (an hour a week versus half an hour a week, on average). Most surprisingly, a full three months later, the superhero participants were four times as likely to actually show up for a volunteering session.
How could just a couple minutes’ worth of reflection trigger significant behavior change over a three-month period? Well, psychologists know from numerous studies that when we’re asked to think about the positive traits of a particular social group (such as the selfless, fearless behavior of superheroes), we invariably compare ourselves to the admirable group—and we usually start by looking for similarities. We subconsciously measure ourselves against their values and virtues—and because almost everyone wants to live up to highly admired social standards, we naturally look for ways to fit the bill. It’s like holding up a mirror that reflects back only the best parts.
It’s a bit of a “positive bias”—we all want to think that we’re amazing, wonderful people, even if we’re not. But it’s still a neat and useful psychological trick. Take advantage of your own bias by spending a few minutes thinking about the values and virtues of a group of people you admire—whether they’re professional athletes, firefighters, emergency room nurses, teachers, activists, CEOs, or artists. Every time you do just that, you become twice as likely to jump at the chance to be like these heroes when the opportunity arises.
One important caveat: This quest seems to work only when you think about an entire group of heroes, not one in particular. If you single out one particularly amazing person, you are more likely to compare yourself unfavorably with his or her virtues or achievements. That’s because, psychologists have found, we tend to look for similarities between ourselves and admirable groups, but we tend to notice differences between ourselves and admirable individuals. Thinking about these differences can actually decrease your motivation and self-efficacy! So be sure to focus on general qualities of groups you admire and not on individual heroes.
Tip: To really benefit from this quest, you should look for an opportunity right now to be more like your heroes (or superheroes, whoever inspires you most!). If you make a mental commitment to do something concrete while the positive social standard is still at the top of your mind, you’re more likely to follow through in the future. Researchers describe this as “committing yourself to future behavior while a temporary goal is more salient,” or top-of-mind. If you’re thinking about heroes or superheroes right now, you’re more motivated to adopt an altruistic goal. Adopting that goal right now makes it much easier for you to make the time and energy to achieve it, whether it’s tomorrow, next week, or even months from now. So make a tiny commitment right now to do some good in the world, and you’ll fully reap all the benefits of this quest.
The science of games reveals that we have more power to motivate and improve ourselves than we realize—to make positive change, to adopt new habits, to be better people, to do what is otherwise hard. Games show us how to strive for epic goals that inspire us—and in doing so, they help us build the strengths that inspire others.
MISSION COMPLETE
Skills Unlocked: How to Build Heroic Character Strengths
• If you want to make a change for the better or achieve a tough goal, don’t worry about motivation. Instead, focus on increasing your self-efficacy: confidence in your ability to solve your own problems and achieve your goals.
• The fastest and most reliable way to increase your self-efficacy is to learn how to play a new game. Any kind of game will do, because all games require you to learn new skills and tackle tough goals.
• The level of dopamine in your brain influences your ability to build self-efficacy. The more you have, the more determined you feel, and the less likely you are to give up. You’ll learn faster, too—because high dopamine levels improve your attention and help you process feedback more effectively. Keep in mind that video games have been shown to boost dopamine levels as much as intravenous amphetamines.
• Whenever you want to boost your dopamine levels, play a game—or make a prediction. Predictions prime your brain to pay closer attention and to anticipate a reward. (Playing “worst-case scenario bingo” is an excellent way to combine these two techniques!)
• You can also build self-efficacy vicariously by watching an avatar that looks like you accomplish feats in a virtual world.
• Whenever possible, customize video game avatars to look like you. Every time your avatar does something awesome, you’ll get a vicarious boost to your willpower and determination.
• Remember, self-efficacy doesn’t just help you. It can inspire you to help others. The more powerful you feel, the more likely you are to rise to the heroic occasion. So the next time you feel superpowerful, take a moment to ask yourself how you can use your powers for good.
You Can Make the Leap from Games to Gameful
Your Mission
Smash the boundaries that keep your gameful strengths separate from your real life.
So far we’ve looked at findings from more than one hundred scientific studies that reveal the natural gameful abilities we all possess: to control our attention, thoughts, and feelings; to connect and bond with virtually anyone; and to supercharge our willpower and determination.
But not everyone who plays games will succeed in translating these strengths from games to daily life. In fact, many gamers seem to suffer—academically, socially, or in their physical and mental health—as a result of excessive play, leading many to worry about “video game addiction.” How is it possible that some frequent game players benefit from play while others struggle?
It’s a paradox I’ve spent years researching, and I’m not the only one. Consider the following headlines. These are all actual results from peer-reviewed research on the impact of playing video games.
“Study Shows Videogames Linked to Depression and Lower Life Satisfaction”1
“Study Shows Frequent Gamers Experience Greater Levels of Happiness and Life Satisfaction”2
“Gaming Linked to Lower Grades, More Drug Use in Teenagers and College Students”3
“Video Game Play Linked to Higher Grades, Less Drug Use in High School and College Students”4
“Videogames Linked to Poor Relationships with Friends, Family”5
“Videogames Improve Family Relationships, Particularly Between Fathers and Daughters”6
It’s maddening, isn’t it? I’ve read literally