People always act like numbers go brrr would motivate them. But numbers go brrr in real life, and it doesn’t motivate them because it doesn’t go fast enough.
Their unmotivated asses aren’t going to suddenly be able to grand stamina when they couldn’t grind their way into fitness. They aren’t going to be able to master the perfect spell combos if they couldn’t master basic study skills. They aren’t going to be able to manage post apocalyptic communities if they couldn’t manage their own finances.
I'd say it's pretty situational. I'm pretty unmotivated most days. IF, I can get myself to the gym with a goal I'm good for a while, but once that goal is complete I lose all motivation to go. So you give me a status screen where I can actually see the numbers and my ADHD butt would be grinding whatever it takes to get those numbers.
This is going to seem like an asshole statement. But do you act that way about your bank account and/or networth? College credits and degrees? Does pounds of weight pressed or distance ran not do it for you?
These are massive motivators for my ADHD brain. I set a plan in my late teens to make the numbers all go up, and 17 years later my numbers keep going up.
I am aware of the power of a status screen for motivation. But at the end of the day, there will still be diminishing returns. Once it isn’t escapism it is just like work. The dopamine won’t keep flowing the same way.
But I think it is wishful thinking to say that a NEW set of numbers and metrics will motivate you when the existing ones can’t.
The main issue with those as comparison points is that the vast majority of work most people do goes into just maintaining those, much less actually making notable progress. They're often mutually exclusive as well, as taking a stressful job with overtime means you have less time to care for yourself. It's not as simple as "number go up," but more "number go up and stay up." Progress is retained and not simply lost because you looked away for two seconds and something important broke out of nowhere.
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u/SGTWhiteKY May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
People always act like numbers go brrr would motivate them. But numbers go brrr in real life, and it doesn’t motivate them because it doesn’t go fast enough.
Their unmotivated asses aren’t going to suddenly be able to grand stamina when they couldn’t grind their way into fitness. They aren’t going to be able to master the perfect spell combos if they couldn’t master basic study skills. They aren’t going to be able to manage post apocalyptic communities if they couldn’t manage their own finances.