Playing video games helps you win at work

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Many people think video games are a distraction or a pastime that pulls people away from real-world success. But Jessica Lindl sees something different. After more than two decades at the intersection of gaming, education and work force development, Ms. Lindl believes video games may hold the key to career success in today’s economy.

In her soon-to-be-released book, The Career Game Loop: Learn to Earn in the New Economy, Ms. Lindl makes the case that a gamer’s mindset – one that’s focused on progress, learning from failure and thinking systemically – might be one of the most valuable career tools we have.

“In today’s fast-changing job market, where roles evolve quickly and career paths aren’t linear, this loop helps people adapt, grow and thrive continuously. It’s especially powerful for younger generations who already understand the mindset of levelling up and tackling quests,” Ms. Lindl says.

The concept is simple: treat your career like a game.

Ms. Lindl breaks it down into four main phases including, choose quest, level up, job hunt and job craft. It’s an ongoing loop that mirrors how successful gamers play with purpose, curiosity and constant iteration.

High-scoring skills from the gaming world

While traditional resumes focus on degrees and job titles, Ms. Lindl points to lesser-recognized gaming skills that translate directly to the workplace:

• Strategic problem-solving: Gamers are always sizing up situations, running quick experiments and shifting strategies on the fly, which is exactly the kind of sharp thinking that thrives in fast-paced industries.
• Resilience and iteration: Gamers fail fast, learn faster and keep going, which is a mindset tailor-made for innovation and thriving through change.
• Collaboration and team dynamics: Multiplayer games live and die by teamwork. Winning means clear communication, smart role-splitting and seamless real-time collaboration. Akin to project management, but with a joystick.
• Systems thinking: Gamers get systems. Winning often means grasping how moving parts connect; just like navigating a company or scaling a process.

“These aren’t just soft skills, they’re high-impact, transferable capabilities that the modern workplace desperately needs, especially in an economy where adaptability is the name of the game,” she says.

How to play the game even if you’re not a gamer

You don’t need a gaming background to start using the Career Game Loop. Ms. Lindl says the first step is refreshingly simple.

“Choose your quest,” she says.”Define one meaningful career goal, no matter how big or small. Maybe it’s switching industries, learning a new tool or just landing your first role. Write it down. Then, break it into mini-quests.”

The result? Career growth becomes less about making one big leap and more about playing a game you can win – one intentional move at a time.

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