What If We Saw Work as a Game?
How far does your rigidity go?
Perhaps the wiser among you grasped this concept long ago. For me, it’s been a recent discovery, and, I must admit, one I didn’t exactly embrace willingly.
I’ve always been deeply passionate about stability, chasing it as though it were some sort of trophy. A tidy routine where I could anticipate what was coming, nothing knocking me off balance, and an entirely predictable future.
I cherished that kind of life. Every decision I made revolved around maintaining it, to the point where I was ready to sacrifice my passions just to keep everything in order. After all, who enjoys dealing with the unexpected? Facing surprises, broken expectations, and those mistakes you never see coming when you meticulously plan your life.
Convinced that stability was the answer, I always chose the “safest” paths, even if they led me far from what truly excited me. My decisions didn’t align with my long-term dreams, but I’d soothe myself with the promise that once I’d secured that precious stability, I’d finally make time for my passions. For now, there were “more important” things to focus on.
Unbeknownst to me, I’d slowly become so methodical, trapped in a rigid routine, that I lost myself while searching for security.
Everything Can Change in an Instant
Step by step, I spent five years chasing “better jobs.” Whether it was the system’s influence or my ambition for a higher salary, I always found the perfect excuses to avoid prioritising what made my heart race, and what truly moved me. Gradually, I became convinced that I was climbing towards something “bigger.”
When you’re on that train, there’s no way to stop it. In my case, it was a career decision, but it could be anything. Staying in an uncomfortable financial dependency, continuing a relationship that doesn’t sit right, or sticking to jobs that make you miserable but afford a “cool lifestyle.”
(Ah, the cool lifestyle!)
Some of us don’t even leave room to question these things, and those who are aware of the subpar choices they’re making can never seem to escape the cycle. Because, really, why would anyone willingly make themselves uncomfortable, right?
But suddenly, in a matter of two weeks, my life flipped upside down. From being snug in my predictable routine, I found myself looking for a new home, job, and friends in a country where I couldn’t even understand the language (yes, it’s you dear Germany). Adjusting to a different culture, learning to navigate a new space, and trying to build a fresh routine—all at once.
And surprise! It wasn’t my choice. Circumstances forced me into a complete 360 from night to morning. I was lost.
Yet, after the initial frustration and admin tasks (which took longer than I expected), I crossed the street, and took facts as for what they were…a random decision for my personality.
What if I flipped my perspective entirely? What if I rebuilt everything from scratch, but with greater honesty this time? And what if I had to tear down every wall I’d painstakingly constructed—only to build something far better?
Maybe Grown-Ups Can Still Play
Amid this whirlwind, I began watching motivational talks to keep myself going. Because, let’s face it, no matter how much energy you try to summon, there are moments when you feel so drained from reinventing yourself that you don’t know where to find the faith to continue. These videos, cheesy as they can sometimes be, reminded me that every “successful” figure has had their share of struggles too.
Here’s one quote that stuck with me:
“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again. Less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods in my life.” Steve Jobs.
It took me back to playing with Barbies as a child. I’d spend entire afternoons crafting extravagant homes for them, carefully planning out every detail so they could live their absolute best lives. I loved building something from scratch. But after an hour of playing, it would be time to pack everything away—because the dog might eat Ken’s shoes overnight.
The heartbreak of dismantling a whole afternoon’s work was intense. But there was always comfort in knowing that the next day, I could build it all again, from scratch. And it might turn out even better.
Leaning into these metaphors during while rebuilding houses for my dolls has helped me approach things with a lighter mindset today. I’ve stopped viewing every decision as a life-altering moment and instead started treating them more like a... game. Even imagining the job hunt as a performance where I try out a new role became oddly fun!
That’s when things began shifting in my favour.
What the Job Hunt Really Taught Me
One of the first changes was adding personal touches to my cover letters. For example, I’d close emails with lines like:
"This year, I moved to Berlin from my home country to make decisions that align more closely with my professional goals. What does this mean? Firstly, I’m an excellent multitasker. New city, new language, new home, new job—all at once. And secondly, imagine the ambition and courage I bring to this chapter. That’s how I plan to contribute to [your company].”
The thing is, change doesn’t give you a heads-up, and clinging to the past or to “safety” can stuck you. I learned this the hard way as I encountered a different landscape while job-hunting.
I don’t know what industries you work in, but in 2024, the digital business world has radically changed. The pandemic is far behind us, remote work is no longer in such high demand, and digital companies are cutting staff on a massive scale. Suddenly, we’ve all started missing the in-person experience. From Buenos Aires to Berlin, every interview I have echoes the same sentiment: physical spaces and community are key to building something lasting.
Turns out, in-person work mattered more than I’d thought (just one of many discoveries along this journey).
A few weeks ago, I attended an event hosted by the Unboxing podcast at Betahaus, one of Berlin’s oldest coworking spaces. The topic was Berlin’s cultural decline, with guests like Johnnie Stieler, co-founder of Tresor, and Florian Opitz.
Berlin is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world—not because it’s an economic hub like London or New York, but because of its culture. Yet in recent years, the influx of startups and digital businesses has gentrified the city, driving up rents, creating wage disparities, and forcing iconic clubs to close because they can no longer sustain themselves.
Amidst all this analogue influence, I went back to basics: business cards, printed CVs, and a friendly face with a winning attitude.
A Game-Changing Mindset
I won’t lie—it was my first time doing anything like this. I’m great at selling myself over email, but looking someone in the eye and saying, “Hi, I’m looking for work,” terrified me.
I walked past the first café three times before finally working up the nerve to go in. But I had nothing to lose—just the opportunity to try.
And when you treat job hunting like a game, where you get to pitch yourself as Wonder Woman, something interesting might come of it. By the end of the day, I had landed an interview at GANNI—a brand I’d always considered out of reach. Turns out, the only thing standing in my way was my fear.
Stability Isn’t the Answer
The stability I’d pursued so doggedly was the very thing holding me back.
Some parting advice:
Think of risks as a game. There’s no perfect formula. If something goes wrong, you can always try again. Playing takes the sting out of failure.
Reframe your narrative. Fear of not meeting expectations can be paralysing. But if you shift your perspective and see challenges as opportunities to grow, your attitude will transform.
You’re not the only one playing. We’re all trying to figure out our lives and careers. Viewing work as a collective game lightens the load and encourages exploration, trial, and (occasionally) failure.
Bonus: My Top Berlin Vintage Spots This Week
🧥 Let Them Eat Cake – Neukölln
🛍️ Juno Juno – also in Neukölln (next door, actually)
👗 Neuzwei – same neighborhood, just a block away
If you’ve made it this far, it means you believe in what I’m building!
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xoxo,
Abi