Super Better

In 2009, game designer and author Jane McGonigal suffered a severe concussion that wouldn't heal. Unable to work or think clearly, she decided to get better by doing what she does best: by turning her recovery process into a game. What started as a simple motivational exercise quickly grew into a digital game, then an online portal and a major research study with the National Institutes of Health. In SuperBetter, McGonigal reveals a decade's worth of scientific research into the ways all games change how we respond to stress, challenge, and pain. She explains how we can cultivate new powers of recovery and resilience in everyday life simply by bringing the same psychological strengths we naturally display when we play games--such as optimism, creativity, courage, and determination--to real-world situations. As inspiring as it is down to earth, grounded in rigorous research, and powered by game design, SuperBetter is a proven game plan for a better life. Never again will you say that something is "just a game."