Have you ever wanted to hit the master reset button on the console of life, blow the dust off your cartridge, delete your saved game slots, and see if you can create something new and more awesome? Well, in the summer of 2012, I decided to play a new game-and you can too.
Have you ever tried to set your own record time while working on a boring task? Tried to beat your previous commute time? Do more in a half-an-hour session, or reward yourself after finishing a project? While even these simple ways of using gamification in life can bring tangible results, professional gamified products can go much further.
If you are like most people, you know your inner critic all too well. It is the voice in your head that judges you, doubts you, belittles you, and constantly tells you that you are not good enough. It says negative hurtful things to you-things that you would never even dream of saying to anyone else.
Self-criticism isn’t innate to us, it’s internalized based on outside influences, such as other people’s criticism, expectations, or standards. It’s a habit that can be unlearned or controlled.
One way to separate yourself from the self-criticism is to give it a name. Doing so, you better positioned to free yourself from its influence.