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If you haven't found meaning in your life, it's because you haven't taken on a big enough burden.
That is why video games are so addicting.
They give you a task of sufficient merit that replaces the need to get up and find one for real.
You must develop the necessary skills that allow you to take on interesting, real and complex challenges.
Because when the game is off, and the screen goes black - what then?
I remember loading up games like The Witcher 3 or Cyberpunk 2077.
These games are masterpieces of storytelling and adventure. They immerse you into worlds full of grief, heartache, joy, frustration and accomplishment.
So while I maintain a massive appreciation for their creative accomplishment - I can't help but acknowledge that I was using these games to supplement the lack of accomplishment in my reality.
We're talking 5 to even 10+ hours most days, completely absorbed in these stories. And when I wasn’t playing them, I was thinking about them.
Note
I’m not demonising video games. Many people enjoy them healthily, without obsession or addiction. I’m talking about my experience and their impact on my life.
But when I finally decided to take on a project that was genuinely challenging and uncomfortable in real life, I lost all desire to play these games. Just like that.
I don't want to sound all high and mighty, but it's the truth.
As soon as I committed to securing a high-paying job, building my freelance business, and growing this newsletter - that became my new 'video game'.
It was a real-world challenge, and that's all my mind wanted.
That's all any of our minds want, really.
We're all after that never-ending challenge, with lots of mini successes and an ever-moving goal post.
Video games nail this formula perfectly. It's why they're so damn successful, and addictive.
Comfort
Many of us are living in a state of comfortable mediocrity without even realising it.
We wake up, go through our daily routines, and fall asleep, thinking we're doing just fine.
Indulge in unhealthy food, binge-watch shows, and play video games for hours.
At one time, that felt normal to me.
This is the trap so many of us fall into.
We become complacent with our current state, never realising the vast potential for growth and fulfilment that lies just beyond our comfort zone.
We trick ourselves into thinking we're making progress, just like in a video game, when in reality, we're stuck in a loop of mindless comfort.
The danger here is that this comfortable mediocrity becomes our new normal.
We stop striving for more because we don't even realize there is more to strive for. It's like being a fish in a small bowl.
Life doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to settle for a life that feels "fine."
The first step is recognising that your current "normal" might actually be holding you back from the life you truly desire and deserve.
Choices
Now, you might be thinking, "Okay, I get it. But how do I break out of this trap?" The answer lies in the power of tiny choices.
Your life, as it stands today, is the result of thousands of small decisions you've made over the past year.
These choices might seem insignificant in the moment, but they compound over time to shape your reality.
Did you choose to hit the snooze button or get up and start your day with purpose? Did you opt for fast food or prepare a healthy meal? Did you spend your evening scrolling mindlessly through social media or learning a new skill?
These tiny choices are the building blocks of your life.
The key difference between video games and real life is the nature of risk and reward.
In a game, you can fail without real consequences. You can restart, respawn, or simply turn off the console.
But in life, these small choices have real impacts, leading to real pain, real fear, and real sacrifice.
But they also lead to real growth, real accomplishment, and real fulfilment.
From personal experience, I've witnessed the power of this approach.
10 months ago, I started a freelancing writing ‘side hustle’.
The initial stages were extremely challenging, as any freelancers reading this will be able to relate to.
Daily effort to connect with those slightly ahead in the field
Investing thousands in mentorship
Offer services for free or at reduced rates.
Working around the clock, 7 days a week
The rewards were not immediate, but the seeds planted then have grown into a thriving business today.
There were countless occasions where it looked as if it was going to fail.
Where daily actions didn’t materialise for months on end.
Imagine if I had quit?
What would I have now, where would I be, what would I be doing?
My point is…
Every time you choose to take a small step towards your goals, you're building momentum.
Every time you choose discomfort over comfort in pursuit of growth, you're reshaping your future.
You don't have to make perfect choices.
In fact, it's better if you don't.
The greatest risk is taking no risk at all, because without failure, improvement is impossible. And without improvement, life loses its purpose and meaning.
Standards
One of the most powerful ways to transform your life is by raising your standards.
Your standards are the internal benchmarks you set for yourself, and they directly influence your choices and actions.
Think about it: if you're okay with having £5 in your bank account, you won't see that as a problem.
But if your standard is £100,000, anything less becomes a challenge to overcome.
This shift in standards completely changes your perception and behaviour.
When you raise your standards, you start noticing opportunities you were blind to before. Your conversations with friends shift from complaining about problems to discussing solutions and opportunities.
But raising your standards isn't just about money.
It applies to every aspect of your life.
If your standards require you to eat nutritious, whole foods, you'll start looking at fast food with disgust.
If your standards demand that you have an aesthetic body, you'll treat working out as a mandatory part of your day.
The key is to adopt the standards of the person you want to become.
Ask yourself:
How much money does your ideal self make?
What kind of work brings your ideal self-fulfilment?
What does your ideal relationship look like?
How does your ideal self look and feel physically?
You're programming your mind to reject anything less than what you truly desire and deserve.
As you raise your standards, you'll find that what once seemed impossible becomes your new baseline, and you'll be inspired to reach even higher.
Self-Improvement
True satisfaction is born out of the process of overcoming challenges.
Why is it that when Founders sell their company for 100s of millions, the first thing they do is start another company?
Because the reward is momentary.
The excitement of 100 million, a new house, a new car or a new client disappears a lot quicker than any of us would like it to.
It is only upon receiving a reward that we realise - what we actually enjoyed was the climb towards the reward.
You need a plan. An aim. A way forward.
This doesn't mean you need to have your entire life mapped out.
Rather, it means having a direction and a purpose that guides your daily actions and decisions.
Start by identifying areas of your life where you want to improve.
Maybe it's your career, your health, your relationships, or your personal skills.
Then, set specific, achievable goals in each area.
As you work towards these goals, notice how you're becoming more disciplined, more knowledgeable, and more skilled. These are the real rewards of self-improvement.
But remember, the goals themselves are not the point – they're just a sense of direction. The goal should continually move further and further away.
That's the beauty of it. There's always room for growth, always a new level to attain.
This constant striving, this perpetual becoming, is what gives life its richness and meaning.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your day,
P.S.
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