What am I optimising my life for?

To use my video game analogy, I think most people (myself included, in the past) try to answer that question within the ‘character’ realm. In terms of things their character can acquire within the material game world, like money, status, relationships. Notice also that these are outputs, not inputs: ultimately things you have no direct control over. Surely a recipe for discontent (and the world is currently becoming more discontent by the day…)

I prefer to answer the question in the deeper ‘player’ realm—and optimise my life for nothing more than fully honouring and experiencing the game. Full awareness of the sights, the sounds, how it feels to press whichever button on the controller I’m pressing… the feel of winning… the feel of losing… My only goal is to fully embrace and experience every moment of it. (This might be likened to the psychological ‘flow’ state; being ‘in the zone’; ‘sati’; ‘mindfulness’;…)

Of course, the character can still have goals. Some of mine are growing my business, helping and teaching other people, making money, a rich social life, travel, etc etc etc. These are all useful in the sense that they give me a direction to aim, but they’re not my life purpose. My real goal is to not judge my deepest life success against any of these, and to embrace every moment of the journey regardless.