Inquisitive.me

A common mistake many people make is seeing working out as punishment. I have to do it. Or: I overate, so now I have to go to the gym. Or even: I ate that cake, so I have to run 5 kilometers.

That’s a really crappy approach.

When I first started following Ali Abdaal, I loved his question: “What would it look like if it were fun?” I’ve always seen life as playful and fun, but this simple question gave me clarity—it helped me make that playful approach visible and intentional. Life is short. Shouldn’t we enjoy it fully?

It helped me a ton during my study years. I gamified my learning, especially in subjects like anatomy, where you just have to hammer all those names into your brain and hope they stick. I used the GROW Method to make boring topics engaging and fun. It even helped me finish my studies two days before my exam—while everyone else was stressed, I was chilling. That feeling was unbeatable.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works:

• (G)rid – Make a grid (Excel works fine) and list all your topics vertically. The columns next to each topic are your scheduled study days.
• (R)ating – Rate your confidence with each topic. I used a traffic-light system for Excel and a simple + / – / ~ on my study cards.
• (O)verall Outcome – As your exam approaches, more topics should turn green; fewer should stay red.
• (W)eakest Topic – Focus on the reds, but review the greens occasionally to keep them strong.

This approach works with spaced repetition, which is basically memory magic—it helps move knowledge into long-term storage.

The GROW Method can even work for your workout plan. You can rank how you felt during each session, whether you completed it, or how much effort you put in.

I gamified writing my bachelor thesis too. I played epic movie soundtracks—Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter—while typing. Suddenly, writing a sentence felt like battling dragons and winning epic wars. I forgot I was at a desk; it was a full adventure.

I still do this when writing my blog or in the gym. Rocky music? Check. Dragonball Z theme song for leg day? Absolutely. Training to be a Super Saiyan 💪🏻

Because I naturally make everything playful, I didn’t really think to teach this approach to others. But many people see workouts as punishment. That’s why I started asking: “What would it look like if it were fun?”

Fun doesn’t mean abandoning your goals. It could be:

• Playing an audiobook while running
• Taking a friend for company during a run
• Squatting together and pushing each other
• Chatting about work or life while walking
• Rewarding yourself with a fun dinner or couch time afterward

It can change from day to day. Sometimes I listen to a podcast while running. Other times it’s the theme song from a favorite childhood show. Sometimes it’s rap (which I rarely do) while pushing through a tough workout, and other times, yes, it’s Taylor Swift.

The point is simple: when it’s fun, it sticks. Learning sticks. Workouts stick. And life? It’s just better.

🧪 Let’s Experiment

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Fun can make habits stick—
gamify your habits and watch progress soar.

If seeing life as playful is one thing, making it visible and intentional is another. Let’s experiment with a simple system to track your habits—whether it’s studying, working out, or any routine—and make it engaging.

🎯 Try This:

Pick one habit—studying, running, or your workout routine—and add a playful twist. Some ideas:

• Score yourself: Rate each session on fun, effort, or progress.
  After a run, give yourself 1–5 points for effort, pace, or how much fun you had. If you hit 5 points three days in a row, reward yourself with a treat or a fun activity.
• Add game elements: Turn reps into points, use a timer for challenges, or track streaks like a video game.
  Turn push-ups into a “boss fight”: each set is a wave of enemies. Complete all sets to “defeat the boss” and earn a level-up.
• Mix it up: Play your favorite soundtrack, listen to an audiobook, or team up with a friend.
  During a study session, listen to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack while memorizing anatomy terms—it makes even tedious topics feel epic.
• Visualize progress: Use a chart, colored stickers, or your own “level-up” system to see improvements.
  Use a wall calendar with colored stickers for each workout or study session. Green = fully completed, yellow = partially done, red = skipped. Watching the wall fill up motivates consistency.

🧠 Final Thought:

You don’t need to make everything a competition or beat yourself up—it’s about visibility and intentionality. When you see your progress, celebrate it. Fun is not a distraction; it’s a tool to make habits stick and life more enjoyable.

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Keep it simple, stay curious, and keep learning—you’ve got this.

Take care,

Carina 🦊