The Power of Play

CHAPTER 7GAMES GIVE US A RAY OF HOPE

Games can unlock our inner motivations – beyond extrinsic rewards like money or status – by tapping into intrinsic sources of joy such as curiosity, problem‐solving, and creativity.

—Adam Grant, author of Originals

I have a confession to make: I'm a big fan of video games. In fact, it was my love for games that led me to pursue a career in software engineering when I was a younger. I had a simple desire—to make money so I could buy a better computer to play even better video games. It wasn't about saving the world; it was about the joy of gaming. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and Space X, shares a similar sentiment, emphasizing how video games sparked his passion for technology and innovation.

Fortunately, the landscape of work is not as bleak as it may seem. There is a way to make it better, and I hinted at it in the beginning of this book—it's games. So, let's delve into why games are the ultimate tool and why we play them in the first place.

First and foremost, we will define what games are. Interestingly, there isn't a universally agreed‐upon definition, as the term encompasses a wide range of activities. While it's enlightening to examine the simplest of games to understand their fundamental elements, we are particularly interested in games with more complexity and longevity.

Games come in various forms: board games, card games, sports games, playground games, party games, gambling, puzzles, arcade games, electronic games, computer games, ...