Unlock The Potential Of Gaming — Level Up Your Mindset
No matter who you are, or what you do, developing a healthy mindset is one of the most beneficial things you could do. Your mindset can and will affect every part of your life. So it is no joke when I say this — gaming can change your life.
How? It’s rather simple.
Gaming can help you develop that mindset. Much of becoming a better gamer directly correlates to becoming a better person. Of course, this doesn’t mean that just because you play games all day you become a saint. As is always the case, personal growth requires you to be actively trying to improve.
From its benefits in education to its community aspects, gaming has so much potential. As with anything, there are always some bad eggs. But — the good heavily outweighs the bad. Like any new technology, gaming — whether that be video games or a TTRPG like Dungeons & Dragons — has been demonized by some.
While many others jump to the defense of gaming, there hasn’t been enough of a push in the other direction. This isn’t just fun and games. Instead of just arguing why games aren’t bad, I’d like to argue that they are actively great for society!
While some research has been done, there is still so much more that could be done. Even still, there are many benefits we already know about. There are actually so many, it’ll be hard to fit them all in one article. In fact, I know I can’t do them all justice. What I can do is give an overview, and hopefully, that will inspire you to go out there and learn more yourself!
A Winning Mindset
Generally, people like winning. I mean, who wouldn’t? So what’s the most important factor of success? Talent? Experience?
Nope — it’s your mindset.
Unsurprisingly, you’ll see the same advice given to top athletes as is given to esports pros. Regardless of whether you’re playing a video game, throwing a ball, or running a business, mindset is the most important factor.
In fact, a recent study found similarities in mental toughness between esports pros and Olympic athletes! When you’re trying to improve, it’s important to develop what’s called a “growth mindset”.
This involves things such as:
- Stepping out of your comfort zone
- Learning to accept feedback and criticism
- Constantly seeking to learn and improve
- Embracing challenges
- Learning from your failures
I think you can see how such a mindset would be helpful in all aspects of life!
11 Benefits of Gaming
So, how can gaming help you develop such a mindset? Do you need to play at a professional level to do so? Not at all. Again, it all depends on your own desire to improve. Luckily, gaming is the perfect medium for improving!
Some of the benefits of gaming include:
- Hand-eye coordination, fine motor, and spatial skills. A fairly well-known benefit, but certainly worth mentioning.
- Problem-solving. When faced with varying problems requiring creative solutions, many games will cause you to develop your problem-solving skills.
- Video games encourage creativity. Many games have you create things, whether that be a whole world or simply your own character. You may also find yourself in situations that require you to think outside the box. For these reasons and more, gaming can help your creative side blossom.
- Games can make you happy. A simple benefit that often gets overlooked. Perhaps one of the most important benefits. Do what makes you happy!
- Increased self-confidence and self-esteem. As you accomplish more and improve your skills, games can be a source of confidence. With various difficulty levels and other metrics, it can be easy to track your improvement in a game.
- Teamwork and cooperation. In team-based games, learning teamwork is a matter of winning or losing. If you want to win, you have to learn how to work with others.
- Social Skills. Whether you’re playing a multiplayer video game or a TTRPG like D&D, social skills are an important factor. Communication, in particular, is important, especially in cooperative games.
- Quick Thinking. Fast-paced games require you to be able to think on your feet. Often, an extra second can be the difference between winning or losing. When playing these games, you learn to react fast and think quickly.
- Keep your brain in shape. Your brain is like a muscle, any task that exercises it will cause it to improve. Yes, this includes games!
- Stay active. Speaking of exercising, games can help with more than just your brain. With games like Wii Sports and Wii Fit, physical exercise is an option too. Not to mention VR games. If you’ve seen or watched someone play Beat Saber, you know what I mean.
- Gender identity. Another benefit not talked about enough. With The Sims being the most well-known example, some games give you options when it comes to gender and sexuality. This allows people to explore these concepts in a safe place. Honestly, just having representation of various genders and sexualities is important. As with any form of media, this potential should not be overlooked.
This is only scratching the surface! I picked some benefits that stood out to me, but there are many more that I didn’t mention. That being said — there is one more benefit I feel the need to mention.
Gaming & Education
Games are a great way to help people learn! Computer games have been used in classrooms for years, and some are realizing their further potential. The best way to get people to learn is to make sure they have fun doing it. Naturally, this is where games can help.
It’s not just about having fun though. The skills you gain from playing games, not to mention the mindset, can help you learn faster! In a world with increasing use of technology, gaming can also get you used to the digital world. Many educational games exist already, but there’s a lot that can be learned from other games.
Some standout examples are Minecraft and Dungeons & Dragons. Of course, there are many other games with just as much potential. Schools are just beginning to see what they can do with games, a trend that will hopefully continue.
Truly, we have only started to see the potential of gaming. As gaming continues to become part of pop culture, hopefully, the various stigmas around it will fade away. Gaming has incredible potential, and we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg.
