My uncensored views on self-hypnosis (and Nintendo)

The way I sell self-hypnosis to people is that it is a powerful mental training tool. It creates the same benefits as meditation, only it is easier to learn. Whether mindfulness is your thing or not, that’s fine – self-hypnosis will continue to work for you.

People have used it to beat smoking and insomnia, overcome heartbreak, break bad habits, and install better ones.

I’ve used it to make me calmer, happier, more focused, more productive, braver, healthier, more present, more creative, and probably a hundred other things that I’m forgetting.

So I’m not lying when I say that it is one of the best self-improvement tools out there. I eat my own dog food with this one.

But that’s not why I do it. Yes, I am a self improvement junkie but if I’m honest I would do it even without those benefits.

I could even do it if it was bad for me.

For me, the main benefit of self-hypnosis is that it is fun.

It’s the exact same model of fun that makes Nintendo such a rich and beloved company.

Think of the big hitters sitting in the corner of Nintendo. Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon are quite different franchises, but they have a common thread.

The plot in almost every Mario game is a wafer-thin ball of cliche and save the princess. But how does Mario save the princess? Exploring unique, beautiful and surreal worlds and defeating powerful enemies.

He also collects treasure, but not for materialistic reasons. One hundred coins give you a new life and, apart from lengthening your journey, they have no intrinsic value.

The Zelda games have equally weak plots: the chosen one fights the evil one. Every game is the same. But how does Link beat Ganon? Exploring unique, beautiful and … surreal worlds …?

Hmm, that sounds familiar …

There is much to explore and many treasures on the side of the road. But every treasure, even the largest wallets, has no other purpose than to enable you to advance your quest.

None of the treasures in Link’s world are turned into luxury items, exotic vacations, or hedonic distractions.

With Pokémon, you explore the world with unique, beautiful and surreal creatures. If you wish, you can explore every corner of the map in search of the most exotic monsters. But do you sell them? No, you collect them or get stronger by fighting them.

Exploration makes these games so much fun.

It’s the same thing that makes self-hypnosis so addictive. Your head is full of unique, beautiful and surreal things. It is a landscape that is no different from Hyrule or the Mushroom Kingdom.

You carry a world of treasure with you, even if you can’t spend a penny.

And you become stronger by investing your treasures and facing your challenges.

It is a great way to spend an afternoon. What else can compare to brain training that is as fun as the best video games?