About a year ago, we got the Nintendo Switch and I’ve been obsessed! And not with Just Dance, Definitely not with Mario Cart…but actually with Animal Crossing. Animal Crossing is a cute sims game and offers the most relaxing and chill game environment ever. If you look up this game on reddit, you’ll read things like “relaxing”, “de-stressing” or “cozy-gaming”.

So after many months of playing this sims game it’s become apparent to me that video games are like life. And what an interesting concept (read: philosophy) to consider. Because if games can be won, that means life can be won to!

Now you don’t have to be a gamer, but this should resonate with everyone… Below I’m sharing 5 tips on how to win in the game of life!

Tip # 1: You can choose your avatar

Before you start any game, you get to select who you want to be, what you want to look like, where they live, what tools they have and how they will represent you in the game. Life is no different. Every day you wake up, you can create your avatar. You can choose how you want to dress (so you align with your goals, convey a message and be your ideal self), what you’ll do (your goals, aspirations similar to the “dailies” in a sims game) and how you’ll speak or behave (so you can express yourself in a confident, happy or way that radiates the energy you want to portray). All of this is to say, you have complete control over yourself and how you show up. You can decide one day you want to change things up, go after new goals or refocus/re-heal for your own betterment.

Tip # 2: The rules can change at any time

Just like a video game, life has it own experiences, norms and goals. Characters can build habits and patterns. But things can change at any time (whether thats the game or your character). In video games, we’ve seen a new character appear, a new challenge can present itself or you can lose the round. But once the game restarts, you are back up to where you left off. The same is true for life. Our brains have the ability to create new neural networks based on our choices to learn and improve. If yesterday didn’t go as planned, you still have the knowledge and experience to do better today. When a new day starts, it’s an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone. Which in a way is “unlocking” a new level of you (or your character *wink*). You get to make better decisions, try new routines and approaches to win the round, achieve your goals and magnetize the reality you want.

Tip # 3: Choose your own adventure

In a game, we seek new challenges, experiences and quests. Life should be the same. We should dedicate our real life to the pursuit of goals, creating new value and levelling up. Don’t get me wrong – we do not need to make major changes overnight, but small incremental upgrades or tweeks to how live our life (ie play the game) can make big changes in the long run. All this to say that we can reinvent who we are and what we want to do at anytime. And the stories that we told ourselves yesterday do not have to guide who we are tomorrow.

Tip # 4: Every moment is one to watch?

As a gamer you are the creator and the consumer of your avatars life. It’s is joyful to experience but also interesting to see. Life should be the same. Every moment should be magical and romanticized so you realize you “get to do all these things” instead of “have to”. In some video games you can take screenshots or even avatar perspective photos. The same should be happening in your real life. Capture and document everything. Whether it’s a time lapse of you working, a collage of you on vacation or a quick shot of your fav morning beverage – why not make it a moment to remember!

Tip #5: You have to be present

In our current world, multi tasking has become the norm. Cooking dinner while watching a show. Going for a run while listening to a podcast. Eating while reading a good. And for sure some habit stacking routines are beneficial, but there needs to be a case for being present. In a video game, you cannot use both your hands on a joy-con/joy-stick and text your friend. You cannot pay attention to your next move in the game while doing your nails. And you most definitely wouldn’t play a game if you were driving. Your thoughts have to be focused on the task at hand, whether that’s jumping to avoid an obstacle or smashing bricks to destroy a villian. Even more so, in life staying in the present by focusing your thoughts on the current moment is key to creating your reality. By staying in the present moment and focusing on the now (instead of the past or future) we are essentially being observers in our own reality (think: the wave / particle experience, yourself being the observer). We have the opportunity to shape outcome and create our destiny just by being fully present.