Game design isn’t just a technological craft. It’s a twenty-first-century way of thinking and leading. Jane McGonigal More Quotes by Jane McGonigal More Quotes From Jane McGonigal Scientists have demonstrated that dramatic, positive changes can occur in our lives as a direct result of facing an extreme challenge - whether it's coping with a serious illness, daring to quit smoking, or dealing with depression. Researchers call this 'post-traumatic growth.' Jane McGonigal serious-illness change smoking A game is an opportunity to focus our energy, with relentless optimism, at something we’re good at (or getting better at) and enjoy. In other words, gameplay is the direct emotional opposite of depression. Jane McGonigal emotional opposites opportunity When we play a game, we tackle tough challenges with more creativity, more determination, more optimism, and we're more likely to reach out to others for help. Jane McGonigal determination motivational inspirational My goal for the next decade is to try to make it as easy to save the world in real life as it is to save the world in online games. Jane McGonigal motivation inspiration real Gamers always believe that an epic win is possible and that it's always worth trying and trying now. Jane McGonigal epic winning believe Reality is broken and we need to make it work more like a game. Jane McGonigal motivational inspirational reality When we play games, our brains respond differently to stress and obstacles. We're better able to control our attention and ignore distractions. Jane McGonigal stress games play I didn't accomplish what I set out to do, but I realized I had set out to do the wrong things Jane McGonigal i-realized wrong-things accomplish There is no problem that doesn't have some underlying need for more optimism, stamina, resilience and collaboration. And games are, I believe, the best platform we have for providing that. Jane McGonigal playing-games optimism believe What's really amazing about games is how they change our emotional response to challenges Jane McGonigal emotional challenges games Every game we play activates our brain, and it's the same brain we have in real life as we have in the game. Jane McGonigal real games play I see a future in which games once again are explicitly designed to improve quality of life, to prevent suffering, and to create real, widespread happiness. Jane McGonigal real suffering games When we're in game worlds, I believe that many of us become the best version of ourselves - the most likely to help at a moment's notice, the most likely to stick with a problem as long at it takes, to get up after failure and try again. Jane McGonigal games trying long If you can manage to experience three positive emotions for every one negative emotion … you dramatically improve your health and your ability to successfully tackle any problem you're facing. Jane McGonigal motivation inspiration negative The single biggest misconception about games is that they're an escapist waste of time. Jane McGonigal playing-games wasting-time waste My favorite part of running is the thinking time. Jane McGonigal my-favorite running thinking We've been playing games since humanity had civilization - there is something primal about our desire and our ability to play games. It's so deep-seated that it can bypass latter-day cultural norms and biases. Jane McGonigal playing-games humanity civilization I want gaming to be something that everybody does, because they understand that games can be a real solution to problems and a real source of happiness. I want games to be something everybody learns how to design and develop, because they understand that games are a real platform for change and getting things done. And I want families, schools, companies, industries, cities, countries, and the whole world to come together to play them, because we’re finally making games that tackle real dilemmas and improve real lives. Jane McGonigal real country school Games are unnecessary obstacles we volunteer to tackle. Jane McGonigal obstacles volunteer games It may have once been true that computer games encouraged us to interact more with machines than with each other. But if you still think of gamers as loners, then you’re not playing games. Jane McGonigal playing-games loner thinking