Play is the future of work

Sunday musings: Treating your work like a game is the smartest move in a chaotic world.

A few months ago, I was obsessed with control.

I had the perfect Notion setup, a five-year plan, and a Google Sheet that mapped out every milestone, from podcast launches to revenue targets.

I believed if I could map the chaos, I could beat it. I tried to build my business like a machine with predictable inputs and outputs.

And when the world did not comply? I blamed myself. Worked harder. Slept less. Optimised more.

Then, the world shifted again.

Tech layoffs spread like wildfire. Global tariffs started breaking supply chains in real time. AI leapt forward five years in five months. And suddenly, my neatly stacked strategy tower toppled.

So, I stopped trying to out-control the chaos. And I started playing.

Not like a hobbyist or a bored employee filling time. I approached the business of being me with the content, the consulting, and the community as if I were building the best open-world game ever made.

I stopped treating every task like a stepping stone to some distant finish line. I started asking: What if this was the game?

Instead of launching offers based on market demand, I created products I wished existed when I was lost, stuck, or burned out.

Instead of chasing likes or leads, I built tiny story loops in my writing, each a breadcrumb to something more profound. Instead of trying to scale endlessly, I built a system that could adapt, morph, and evolve. It's like a good game engine.

And it worked.

In March alone, I earned more than $5,000 in revenue. There were no ads, cold DMs, or funnels, just strategy, storytelling, and play.

And here is the kicker: I had more energy than ever before.

Not because I worked less (I did not) but because the work was now alive, a dance between challenge and creativity. My past burnout came from treating life like a conveyor belt. This new chapter is built on curiosity.

Play is not unproductive. It’s the ultimate productivity loop. It’s where resilience, intuition, and creative breakthroughs happen. It’s how you build things that do not just perform but resonate.

Here is the truth: Productivity gurus won’t tell you that no plan survives contact with the market. The economy. The algorithm. The world.

But a game?

A game evolves.

A game reacts to the player.

That is what being a creator and a founder in 2025 demands: Not a fixed path but a flexible mindset. Not a linear ladder but a living system.

So now, every morning, I ask myself one question: What would this look like if it were fun?

Would I still send that newsletter? Yes, but I would write it for one person I care about.

Would I still build that workshop? Yes, but I would design it like a quest.

Would I still show up online? Yes, but I would treat it like stage time, not obligation.

I teach this in my coaching programs now. I help solopreneurs and creators build systems that turn chaos into momentum, turning overwhelm into a signal.

They use storytelling as a marketing tool and a game mechanic for transformation.

Because in the new economy, the players win.

The operators, the optimisers, the spreadsheet warriors? They are playing an old game on a broken map.

If you're ready to build your personal brand, business, or next chapter with a little more energy and joy, I invite you to stop grinding and start designing.

This is not the industrial era.

This is the imagination economy.

So… what is your next move?

See you next Sunday.

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