Jan '24 • Writings
The Super-Mario Effect
The "Super Mario Effect" is a term coined by Mark Rober, a former NASA engineer, to describe the phenomenon where completing small, achievable tasks in a video game can increase motivation and engagement in real life.
What is the "Super Mario Effect"?
The "Super Mario Effect" refers to the psychological impact that video games and virtual reality can have on our motivation and engagement. The effect works by breaking down larger, complex tasks into smaller, achievable ones, much like how levels in video games are broken down into smaller, manageable challenges. This creates a sense of progress and accomplishment, which in turn increases motivation and engagement.
Mark Rober is a former NASA engineer who has become well known for his explanation of the "Super Mario Effect." In his TEDx talk, he explains how the experience of playing video games, where tasks are broken down into smaller, achievable levels, can be applied to real life to increase motivation and engagement. He highlights that this approach is particularly effective for complex tasks, as it makes the process of completion more manageable and less overwhelming.
Rober also provides real-life examples of the "Super Mario Effect" in action, including weight loss programs and educational settings. In weight loss programs, for example, individuals can set smaller, achievable goals, such as losing 5 pounds a week, rather than trying to lose 50 pounds all at once. This approach makes the task seem less daunting and increases motivation and engagement in the process.
Because of an increase in motivation and a focus on a smaller, ‘closer’ goal, the Super Mario Effect leads to greater progress over time, and faster progress toward your ultimate goal, than just focusing on the larger, ‘distant’ goal. The proximity of the goals we pursue can play a crucial role in our motivation and our self-accountability. The further away a goal seems, the less importance we place on what we do today, whereas the closer and more achievable a goal seems, the more likely we are to get on with it and get it out of the way. We know that when we achieve a goal we feel good, so the closer a goal seems, the more likely we are to chase that dopamine rush. The magic of the Super Mario Effect comes down to the proximity of our goals - making sure they are close enough in sight that we are motivated to chase them down as soon as possible and get that dopamine reward.
The benefits of using the "Super Mario Effect" in real life are numerous, including increased motivation and engagement, better learning outcomes, and improved memory retention. When we break down larger tasks into smaller, achievable ones, we are able to see our progress and feel a sense of accomplishment. This, in turn, increases our motivation to continue working on the task.
Here are the key takeaways for implementing the Super Mario strategy into your life, to help you achieve your goals faster and with less mental effort;
- Identify a larger goal that you want to achieve.
- Break down the goal into smaller, achievable tasks. Keep the proximity of the goal at a balanced distance where you can feel it is just out of reach, so you are motivated to get to work, achieve the goal, get the dopamine rush, and continue on to the next one and the next one.
- Focus on completing one task at a time.
- Celebrate each small victory and use it as motivation to continue working towards the larger goal. This will ‘hack’ your dopamine (reward system) and make you want to continue working & levelling up.
- Track your progress. Focus on how far you have come, rather than how far you still have to go, and focus on the next small milestone in front.
- Repeat the process until the larger goal is achieved.
By following these steps, you can experience the benefits of the "Super Mario Effect" for yourself and achieve your goals with increased motivation and engagement.
The "Super Mario Effect" is a powerful tool for increasing motivation and engagement, whether in the context of video games or real life. By breaking down larger tasks into smaller, achievable ones, we can increase our motivation, improve our learning outcomes, and boost our memory retention.
Gamify your life today, and take advantage of the Super Mario Effect for maintaining motivation, sticking to the process, and consistently moving toward your goals.
To Your Success,
Alec.
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The Super-Mario Effect
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