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SuperBetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient--Powered by the Science of Games
by
A remarkable life plan developed from the program four hundred thousand people have used to recover from setbacks and injuries and achieve personal growth
In 2009, game designer and author Jane McGonigal suffered a severe concussion that wouldn’t heal. Unable to think clearly, or work, or even get out of bed, she became anxious and depressed, even suicidal—a common symptom ...more
In 2009, game designer and author Jane McGonigal suffered a severe concussion that wouldn’t heal. Unable to think clearly, or work, or even get out of bed, she became anxious and depressed, even suicidal—a common symptom ...more
Kindle Edition, 480 pages
Published
September 15th 2015
by Penguin Press
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Start your review of SuperBetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient--Powered by the Science of Games

The concept is great, but I didn't really get into this book. Lots of quests, many of them banal.
Jane McGonigal did have some interesting facts about game playing. She described how playing Tetris for ten minutes within six hours of suffering a trauma reduces PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), as hundreds of studies have proven. Playing the game does not erase the memory, but helps to stop involuntary memory, preventing flashbacks.
She describes how video games can help control cravings. You ...more
Jane McGonigal did have some interesting facts about game playing. She described how playing Tetris for ten minutes within six hours of suffering a trauma reduces PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), as hundreds of studies have proven. Playing the game does not erase the memory, but helps to stop involuntary memory, preventing flashbacks.
She describes how video games can help control cravings. You ...more

This book would be better named SuperHype primarily because McGonical has grossly exaggerated the science behind games.
The research on McGonical’s game SuperBetter best exemplifies this.
The dropout rate from the SuperBetter study was huge - about 90%. This is despite recruiting a group of highly motivated participants. So the bottom line is that even the most motivated people struggled to engage with SuperBetter.
The high dropout rate makes any claims to the benefits of SuperBetter highly questio ...more
The research on McGonical’s game SuperBetter best exemplifies this.
The dropout rate from the SuperBetter study was huge - about 90%. This is despite recruiting a group of highly motivated participants. So the bottom line is that even the most motivated people struggled to engage with SuperBetter.
The high dropout rate makes any claims to the benefits of SuperBetter highly questio ...more

I am one of the first people to admit that video games are a tremendous waste of time. They are used by a lot of people to avoid reality, but that is not what this book is about.
Super Better is a refreshing look at the science of gaming, and its main claim is that we can use gaming theory to enrich our lives and overcome our weaknesses by turning the entire thing into a game, rather than an ordeal.
I listened to this book as an audiobook, which was very frustrating because there is a lot of mater ...more
Super Better is a refreshing look at the science of gaming, and its main claim is that we can use gaming theory to enrich our lives and overcome our weaknesses by turning the entire thing into a game, rather than an ordeal.
I listened to this book as an audiobook, which was very frustrating because there is a lot of mater ...more

Having a super positive frame of mind to start with, I got through the first hour or so of this audio book and am deciding to set down. Yes, I've read many of the reviews and I can see why others find this framework help. It's just not for me.
...more

So I first fell in nerd-love with Jane McGonigal when she performed a TED Talk and wrote her first book (Reality Is Broken). SuperBetter is even better and there's also a great TED Talk to introduce it. Or rather, if Reality Is Broken gave readers a well-researched argument for why gaming is an important part of our human nature, SuperBetter gives us the guide on how to actually make life more like a game and improve mental, emotional, physical, and social health. She stacks the first half talk
...more

This was a pretty amazing book and definitely changed the way I think about games. The first section is a very well researched rundown of all the ways gaming can help us, how it can build connections with others and motivate us to do better all the time. In the second section McGonigal lays out a plan for using gaming to help a person achieve just about any personal goal.
I felt like this could really work and could make a difference in my life and others. Unfortunately, I was not in a place whe ...more
I felt like this could really work and could make a difference in my life and others. Unfortunately, I was not in a place whe ...more

Such a practical book. I love that. This one should be read hard copy though for best effect, I believe. But I still had a great time reading the audio version. I took so many notes and will just leave them here in random order because they're that good.
Post-traumatic growth is getting super better. But if we bounce back too quickly we miss the growth.
You can experience the benefits of post-traumatic growth without the trauma if you are willing to undertake an extreme Challenge in your life suc ...more
Post-traumatic growth is getting super better. But if we bounce back too quickly we miss the growth.
You can experience the benefits of post-traumatic growth without the trauma if you are willing to undertake an extreme Challenge in your life suc ...more

Loved but, it got real long in the middle.
But I loved the sprinkling of tips and the writing style that was convincing without ignoring the work's shortcomings or caveats.
I'm going to play this even though my response to this was "I understand what I'm supposed to imagine but idk how it applies to me." I guess I'll have to just try and figure it out as I go.
3 powers ups, 1 bad guy battle, and a quest daily. Seems simple.
tips:
Palms up for 15 seconds to become more open
Game stopped the cognitive r ...more
But I loved the sprinkling of tips and the writing style that was convincing without ignoring the work's shortcomings or caveats.
I'm going to play this even though my response to this was "I understand what I'm supposed to imagine but idk how it applies to me." I guess I'll have to just try and figure it out as I go.
3 powers ups, 1 bad guy battle, and a quest daily. Seems simple.
tips:
Palms up for 15 seconds to become more open
Game stopped the cognitive r ...more

Oct 02, 2019
Nathan Albright
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
challenge-2019
I was pleased to read this book for several reasons, at least in general, largely because the approach discussed in this book is one I tend to undertake. The author encourages readers to view their lives as a game, and to treat the various aspects of games like quests [1], power ups, allies, and enemies/obstacles as aspects of one's life as well. This is something I regularly do, and I have found that it tends to add some level of optimism to a life that is frequently on the melancholy to gloo
...more

Wow, this is an amazing book. I listened to it from the library as an audio book. I’ve now ordered a hard copy for myself and plan to reread it. I’ve already had the opportunity to recommend the book to others who are struggling with depression and health concerns. A playful, empowering, and innovative way to look at mental and physical health.

Wish the book delved into more of the psychology like it did at the start, but like most self-help books the science got overshadowed by the constant "this method works, it sooo good, just do itt".
...more

⭐️ 4,2 stars ⭐️
This is an extremely useful self-help tool that I've yet to implement to make my life better but that I do recommend.
Jane's reading was great, I loved every second. ...more
This is an extremely useful self-help tool that I've yet to implement to make my life better but that I do recommend.
Jane's reading was great, I loved every second. ...more

I really enjoyed this book for a couple of reasons. First of all, the idea of the SuperBetter game to accomplish challenges in your life sounds right up my alley. I've already joined the website and added the app to my phone. I'm sure I'll report out on that aspect of it soon.
But the part of this book that I really enjoyed was the science part at the beginning. I loved learning about all the ways people have tested and used gaming psychology in various areas to help people and relationships. I c ...more
But the part of this book that I really enjoyed was the science part at the beginning. I loved learning about all the ways people have tested and used gaming psychology in various areas to help people and relationships. I c ...more

Really hard to get through. If you're already a happy person you don't need most of the tips in this book (which become increasingly more redundant) backed up by studies that are just common sense (84% of people feel happier after laughing). If you're depressed, you'd never be able to summon the energy to read through 400 pages of this book or motivate to do most of these exercises. Perhaps this book is for people just feeling generally meh.
...more

I tried to like this book, but it is not a good treadmill audiobook. So many lists of inconsequential information. In gamer terms, I felt like I was grinding but never getting to the next level. After 5 hours of justification for the SuperBetter system, but never actually making to what SB is, I gave up.

This book is hands down the best and most useful book I read all year and can be completely life-changing.
Longer review to come later. I have so many pages flagged and notes highlighted, it will take some time to gather them all.
Check back later or follow my blog to see this review when it’s complete: https://thebookishexpedition.wordpres... ...more
Longer review to come later. I have so many pages flagged and notes highlighted, it will take some time to gather them all.
Check back later or follow my blog to see this review when it’s complete: https://thebookishexpedition.wordpres... ...more

This is THE BEST mental health book I've ever read. It takes a completely different angle, and it's all backed by science. I love the whole idea of turning your journey of self-improvement into a game. I'm a mental health YouTuber, and this has inspired me to make a group with my audience to play SuperBetter.
...more

This was an interesting read, but even with the app, I struggled to apply the principles to my life and trying to define bad guys and tasks without overloading myself with 700 things to do a day was confusing and stressful, so as interesting as it was, maybe it wasn't for me.
...more

The Ted Talk is way more entertaining than the book. It was very dry and academic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfBps...
...more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfBps...
...more

Gamification of good guidelines you choose to enhance your life. Make achievements and resilience fun and continuous.
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Must have! | 2 | 8 | Sep 27, 2015 06:54AM |
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