Yeah, I get it. Some explaining has to be done regarding this title. Yep.
You see, there are loads of games out there. And there is a certain genre of game with games like Grand Theft Auto, where you can just go around shooting any random person and stealing any car you see.
Nope. That’s not! what I’m encouraging people to do, seriously!
Instead, just think about it in this manner.
In a game, you express yourself through a character. The character is your avatar in that world, so to speak. And you basically have agency over that character’s customisation as you mold them to suit your likes.
For instance, you choose the character’s class. Do you want a fighter, an assassin or a mage? And stuff like that.
Hey! Couldn’t that very well be likened to getting a job?
And think about subclasses like blacksmith, apothecary, baker, farmer etcetera… can it not very well be likened to your hobbies in real life?
But basically, the main point that I’m getting at is really this.
In a game you’re playing, you get to pick and customise. For example, depending on the game, what clothes they’re wearing, what choice they make, what equipment they pick, which stat they give a boost…
Basically, what you do in games is that you’d bring things to what you’d call a state of perfection. You make sure that everything is nicely maxed out and customised in a way that best floats your boats, that grants sheer lasting satisfaction. You make sure that things are perfect before you head on into your battles or tackle the stupendous ultimate boss.
So, now, let’s go back to life. What’s the difference?
Well, I can already think of two firsthand.
One, you enjoy games and gain joy and fulfilment from them. Meanwhile, however, many do not enjoy life! Well, sorta really.
See, something that many people do is they just slog the days out, feeling utterly drained, and only manage to gain a hint of relaxation come weekends.
In other words, they do NOT gain much real joy and fulfilment from life! Instead, it’s just something that they do for the pure sake of only existence alone.
See, it’s the same even in first world countries. War may be the status quo in some countries, but even where there’s peace and prosperity, hey!! It feels as though people are only living because they expect to wake up to see the next day. It ain’t because they are actually very looking forward to it! It’s just do, rinse, repeat.
So I’m not gonna talk about the topic about whether you should have your passions as your career at all. I don’t wanna delve into that.
Basically, the point I’d like to make is this.
While we cannot exactly control circumstances, to a large degree, we are the creators! of our lives. We have the power to evoke change.
Therefore, why must we settle for living merely on weekends?
What is the alternative I propose?
Well, it’s simply this! As though life is a game that you gain joy and fulfilment from, treat yourself as the avatar that you are building, customising. Max out all the different areas of yer own lives!
See, there’s one thing that we have in this game of our own that we don’t have in games created by other people. Simply put, we have infinite maneuverability. It’s all up to our imagination how we shape it!
So I hereby one-sidedly decided that the best way for me to express this viewpoint of mine would be to use a bit of my own life as an example. Because if you’ve read this blog before, you might know that I’m a person who seeks to max out all! the different areas of my life. Yep.
So I probably won’t actually infringe too much on my own privacy because self-care and comfort zone and all, but still, I’ll delve in.
Alright.
First off I’d like to start off with the topic of yoga. Now, I am actually somewhat interested in yoga. Mostly because I would really love to be able to do really cool poses like splits and handstands and stuff, but that is a story for another day.
So, I was previously enrolled at this place called Platinum Yoga for a while, but I stopped due to circumstances. And then over the past maybe two weeks or so I was randomly looking up yoga places on the internet. So I emailed this place called YogaCircle, who is linked to this service called Payyoga or something where you just pay however much yout think you want to. But they totally ignored my email and stuff, huh.
Anyway! So that didn’t work out. And then I was looking up yoga places again, and nothing really struck me. And then one day I wondered: Why not try Plat again? I mean, we didn’t really share a lasting strong relationship, but maybe they’d take me in? And I contacted them, and basically we agreed to meet for a trial where they’d help me see which areas I should work on and all, was what I gained.
Anyway the day came and I attended, and it was a real bummer because they didn’t actually lead me to any real yoga tryouts but instead just went straight to pen and paper and writing numbers on it. Yep.
So I didn’t agree to it and I went home. Oh well. Perhaps this just wasn’t meant to be, because I’m not really that financially cut out for it atm!
And then today, basically, scrolling through my phone, I realised that I had this yoga app called Bend on my phone that I’d previously downloaded a while ago for fun. I’d never actually got around to using it, though. And so I went and had a personal yoga session, yay.
Now let’s do a quick price comparison. I’m not making any statements about how great Plat are, but if I join them for a year, it costs 4! digits. Meanwhile, if I use Bend for a year, it costs… like, merely around 30 plus dollars.
Like, wth?!
Anyway, so I decided: Alright, this is gonna be my new daily routine!
See, something about life is that we often find ourselves having only minimal contact with some stuff and then put that out of our minds, but later on, we realise, hey, I forgot about that, and then it can become like a main quest of ours for a bit!
Anyway, basically… problem solved! Now, this one aspect of my life that I wanted to refine has been successfully refined! Boo yeah!
And then, obviously, it’s me so there would be more areas.
For example I started a new course today and I’m not really gonna say what this course is because I wanna keep it a secret for no real reason, but, anyway. I really resonated with some of the things in the course, and felt really glad that I joined it! Has really brought much potential enjoyment to my upcoming couple of months ahead! Yeah!
Now, what I want to say is that this only!! happened because I kept my eyes open to look for a way to further max out my life. Because part of the course content is stuff that I have this desire to truly experience and see how it goes. And I feel that this is a potential growth area for myself.
So, in the sense, this character I’m playing, the avatar my soul has channeled into so to speak. I seek to bring it to a true! highest state.
By the way, I’ll just briefly mention that this course is somewhat related to bringing people to their true highest state. That’s possibly why I feel it’s a good match for me, heh. But, anyway!
Now, since I’ve decided to use myself as an example, I’ll just be nice. Sooo I guess I’ll just exhibit two further points where I’m trying to max stuff out. Alright, let’s go!
So, one thing that I decided that I’d do probably last week is to go take the JLPT exam in December. See, that’s basically Japanese proficiency. Now, I wanna take N2, which is the second highest level, that people can basically already go to Japan to work with. The reason? Well, firstly… I kinda enjoy speaking Japanese. Secondly, I think if I really can’t find any avenue of work I’ll just go be a Japanese teacher. For real.
So, what have I done with regards to this?
Well, I am reading a Japanese light novel regularly, which makes my JP reading pretty good. So one new item I added to my routine is to listen to this Japanese podcast! Because currently I think listening is really weakest on my end.
So, shoring up the deficiencies and passing the test, yeah!!!
On top of that, something I’m looking into is to actually finding a community where I can regularly just chat around in Japanese. Previously I’d been looking into it already, but now it’s more pressing. Alright.
See? This is an example of what I’ve been saying.
Hobby of sorts -> need an income -> pass the exam -> take steps
Basically I’ve been trying to max out this portion of my life!
Whew. Now back to the game analogy. So the character that I’ve been granted has this special disposition known as Japanese. Now I’m trying to expand on and develop this disposition so that it can better assist!! me in battle aka. earn money and sustain my livelihood. Yep.
Okay… now tbh I feel it’s kinda shameless, but I guess I should use one last example of an area that I’ve been expanding myself in recently. Alright, hmm…
Btw, I’m also doubling this as a self-intro of sorts for other members of this cohort taking the same course just in case they actually do take a look at this blog. Ha. Kill two birds with one stone! …Or not. I’m fine either way, really!
Oh right, I know the perfect one. Was precisely what inspired me to write this article just now, actually. So now I’ll get to it!
So basically I was thinking: How should I best use my free time? Following lots of contemplation and thinking and all the stuff…
Basically I came to the conclusion that well, hey! Why don’t I try to derive some entertainment from mobile games? Like, in each area where I feel like I’m drawn to, having the teeniest bit of interest…
So like basically, this afternoon, I downloaded a game to cover each area of my interest that still has an empty space and its not allocated anything.
For one, I have this slight bit of interest in design, so there’s this design game I had downloaded already, though I don’t really play it very often at all!
Now, I made it into a folder, and to it I added two other games!
One is called Rebel. I recalled that I really enjoyed this game called Plague Inc, and this game is another strategy game made by the same developer, so, hey! I figured I might enjoy it! Now! I’ve got something potentially enjoyable that I can do in my free time!
Though of course, in life there’s a lot of trial and error! It’s only through actual experience that you can tell whether something will stick, so until then, you just gotta try!
And finally, I also have a slight bit of interest in Roleplay, to the point that I know there’s actually a place in Singapore where you can actually try out like Dungeons and Dragons for a slight fee or something. That had actually gone on my waitlist! But today, wait! I thought: Hey! I seriously could just download a roleplaying game of sorts! So I just scrolled through the Google Play Store and found something that seems like it might turn out to vibe.
But, yeah! That’s basically it! Who knows, these two new games might even turn out into a regular source of enjoyment and fulfilment for me in the future! Yeah they might well not, but still! They might well do!
So finally, back to the main topic of this article.
I’d just like to invite y’all to think about life this way. Think of life as a game, and you the character in it. How will you let your avatar experience a life of the greatest fulfilment, enjoyment?
Hah, maybe you can even try building up a status list for yourself. Tbh, I actually kinda did so for a consultation with a mentor a few days ago!
But think about it, see.
Normal people just live on autopilot. They never do all this work.
But the thing about change is like…
Hmm, let me liken it to a basic yoga routine.
Now everyday!!!, you do said basic yoga routine once.
To you it’s just something as integrated into your life as, like, eating, or going to the toilet.
Now, following all this trial and error and inner work that you do!
The thing is that you decide. Hmm! Maybe I should tweak this part of the exercise a bit! My hip muscle is weak! Maybe I should focus on there more instead!
And then you tweak your routine…
And it IS integrated automatically, because it’s daily!
And so you do it everyday, and, voila! The glaring weakness in you is gone!!!
So now, that’s a good way to think about life! Making all those tweaks and adjustments till all’s perfect, a character customisation maxed out!
Right. If anything, I’d say maybe that’s my philosophy of self-growth yeah!!!
Alright now, I feel I’m pretty happy with this article already. Adios!