James Good

I'm exactly the same. I recently tried to play in moderation, after quitting for 8 months, and within a few days I was wasting hours and hours playing games. It's crazy how fast it can go from nothing to something. At least you know now!

Finding the willpower to quit gaming again is a huge step, congrats! It's a tough journey, and sometimes we've just gotta sit down and enjoy a good film Keep it up!

I'm a simple man at heart. I wouldn't call myself a minimalist, but the things I find the most beauty in are minimalist and simplistic. That being said, I'm terrible at memorising quotes. So, the simpler the better. I think that's why I like this one so much. Not only is it from a man that I have a huge amount of respect for, but it's easy to remember and it's the kind of mindset that has gotten me through those times when I've been incredibly broke. I know that I'm going to be financially well-off in the future, and I know that I'm not where I want to be at the moment. I recently took on a lot more work, and it's finally starting to become clear to me how I can progress with my goals, but it also means a lot more hard work and consistency in the future (something I struggle a great deal with). I want you to tell me your favourite quotes, I might even put them into a word cloud heat-map or something to see what stands out the most Just try not to go overboard and post every single quote in the world. If you can, stick to one quote. I know it's hard to choose just one, but it really helps with this kind of exercise if you can narrow your focus down to something specific. Looking forward to hearing what you say!

Loving the engagement on these. Would be great if we could get 15-20 people commenting on this one! Pretty simple question this week. At least, for me. It might be different for you, and if it is, let me know why! Simply put, I don't like the person I am when I'm gaming. I'm bitter, selfish, lazy and unproductive, unhealthy and just not a fun person to be around. Whereas compared to now, not to say that I'm perfect by any means, but all of those characteristics seemed to go away. I still struggle with some of them; most notably being unmotivated. But, I'm working on it. And I'm downright better than I was 2 years ago, so that's a positive, right? On top of this, I also have more hobbies and goals than I did when I gamed. I could never really see a clear vision for my future, whereas now I have so much more clarity. It's a night and day difference. So, let me know how you've changed since quitting gaming (If you've changed at all) in the comments below! Also, if you've only just started your journey and haven't noticed any changes yet, write down some of the things you'd like to see happen over the course of your journey! Remember, the changes don't even have to be positive. I'm still finding it difficult to fill every hour of my day with activities, but like everything else, I'm working on it as much as I can. Peace.

We had some great interaction on the last question of the week. Thanks, everybody! It'd be great to keep it going. I initially thought that this would be an easy question for me to answer. However, after thinking about it for a few minutes I realised it wasn't going to be that simple. While there was definitely a time in my life where things weren't going great, and I was definitely addicted to gaming, it's hard to say if that period of time was when I realised I had a problem. For some context: I first joined Game Quitters about 4 or 5 years ago during University (My first post on here was 2016, but I had done the 90-day detox a year before), after realising I was maybe spending a bit too much time playing games. 32 hours straight is definitely too much, right?? 😂 However, it wasn't until my third year of university that things started becoming really problematic. I was using gaming as an escape from my work and eventually dropped out with only a few months left to complete. But, if I try to pinpoint an exact time that I thought "you know what, gaming is actually a huuuuuge problem, and I need to do something about it", I come up empty. So I guess for me it wasn't a specific moment in time, it was a culmination of failing relationships, poor diet, lack of sleep, failing exams and pretty bad depression leading me to realise gaming definitely isn't helping me. Let me know if you have a more concrete idea of when gaming became a problem, maybe hearing your guys' stories will help jog something in my memory. I think I've blanked a lot of that time period out! Peace.

It's a long, long process. But that's the beauty of it, right? 😁 Took me 4 years of constant battling to finally become comfortable, and I STILL get really bad cravings to play. Things will get worse before they get better, but once they do, they get MUCH better. Keep it up, you're doing great!

Welcome to the community, and congrats on taking your first steps! I know things might feel awful to begin with, but I guarantee if you work every day to improve just a tiny amount, you'll see results in no time at all. Also, if it's any consolation, my first post on this site 4.5 years ago was terrible. Now, I get paid to write anywhere from my laptop. It's all part of the journey. Oh, and good luck with your exams! You've got this.

Hey again, only me! The interaction on the last post was great, it'd be great to repeat that this week! If you missed it, check it out here. We shared what we were grateful for and the replies are well worth a read! Now, back to this week. This is something that I've noticed a couple of people struggling with on the forums recently. Well, they're definitely not alone. The last couple of weeks I've had really intense cravings to go back to my old games. I've been game-free for 8 months, and this is the first time its really been difficult. These cravings have gotten so bad at times they've become debilitating. I can't even use my computer for fear I'll download Steam, create a new account and install my old games (the ones I spent most of my time on were free-to-play). I spoke to our resident expert Cam, and he told me the following: After reading that, it all made perfect sense. When things got tough in university I escaped to my room to play hours of video games. What happened? I dropped out. When I started my first business, I was having a fantastic time. A few months in and things started getting really tough, to the point where I almost had a breakdown. What did I do? I quit. All of these issues stem from a lack of discipline when I was free to play video games without consequences all through school. As it turns out, the real world is damn hard yo. So what's my advice to someone with cravings? Pretty much this whole message. Let me know down below if you've suffered from cravings in the past, and what did you do to counteract them? Did you give in? Did you beat them into the ground? Are you still having cravings? Post your comments! ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Welcome to the community! You've got a powerful story and a great motivation for wanting to quit gaming. Make sure you use that in the future. Remind yourself why you're going on this journey, and it'll make it that little bit less challenging. It's not an easy journey by any means, but it's a worthwhile one. I wish you all the best.

Great teachers really make a difference to our education. They can make or break the entire thing! It's great to see your professor calmed you down, and I hope the exam went well for you! Also, I'm going to be travelling to Chiang Mai first of all. Will likely stay there a couple of months and then head to Bali and see where it goes from there. Maybe I'll end up hating it and just want to come back to boring old England 😂 It's usually the little things that make the differences. Also, welcome to the community! You're definitely in the right place if you're trying to make your way to a better life, and you'll never be short of support here. A place to live is so underrated. I sometimes imagine what it would be like if I had literally nothing, and how all of the opportunities in my life have come about first and foremost because I have a home. So much great stuff here. And I agree on the car thing haha! I feel the same way about my past relationships. They taught me so much about myself, and I definitely wouldn't be the person I am today without them. Maybe one day I'll let them know the impact they had. Thanks for sharing your list, and you're definitely not alone in this community! Definitely never too late to do anything, no matter what age you are! Really love that attitude! I'm not sure where I'd be without music. It has a seemingly magical ability to soothe the worst of emotions, or even bring them about. What kind of music do you listen to?

Congrats on being 2 weeks game free already, that's a great start. I can resonate with the movie issue. After I quit I watched countless hours of Twitch and YouTube. Eventually, I had to install a website blocker on my devices in order to control it. I don't know what it is about online media that just seems to draw people in and not let them escape, but it's some powerful stuff. WIshing you all the best on your journey!

I've been game free for just over 7 months, and the last week has been so hard for me in terms of cravings. I just want to play all the games I used to waste my time on, and the urge is so strong. Apparently, it's my way of trying to escape from the increased workload and pressure I'm facing in my life right now, as gaming was my coping mechanism in the past when things were getting too tough All I can do is keep working, and keep trying as hard as physically possible to not return to gaming. Even if I try to play in moderation, I try to remind myself how TERRIBLE it was the last time I tried. And, all of the hard work I've done over the last 7 months will be wasted. I know the cravings will past. I've beaten it before. So have you. You know you're capable of getting through this, and you know it's not going to be easy. The best thing I can recommend is trying to find some new things to occupy your time with, as you mentioned you're quite bored at the moment. Try to spend more time outside of the house, if possible. Even if you don't want to, the next time you get cravings force yourself to go for a walk. Gaming numbed the satisfaction you get from everything else, and unfortunately, the only way to get your brain back to normal is to work hard at it. But, that doesn't mean you need to work fast. It's a long process. A marathon, not a sprint. At the moment, just focus on not gaming and implementing small, manageable changes in your lifestyle that you'll be able to maintain easily. From there, if you keep that up as much as possible then before you know it you'll be back enjoying the little things in life. I wish you all the best. Remember, the community is always here if you need!

The great thing about this question is that you can be as vague or as specific as you like. If you want to list three words and leave it there, you can. If you'd rather list three things in detail, and talk about how they affect your day-to-day life or how its shaped your journey so far, you're more than welcome to. I want people to feel free to be able to share their stories and ideas. Without further ado, here's a few things I'm grateful for: Friends that are holding me accountable, and helping me grow into a better person. Not too long ago I got rid of a lot of the friend in my life, as I was focusing more on myself and my business. I didn't want to be friends with people that were negative, or didn't share the same growth mindset. As a result, I ended up developing relationships with people around the world who elevetae me to be the best I can be every day. My parents. I've had my moments where I've been angry and frustrated at my parents, I think we all have. But, recently, after I lost my job, my house and was heavily in debt they were there to support me when I needed it most. It gave me a base from which I could build myself up into the person I am today, making money online and living a life that I've dreamt about for years. Cherish the time you have with your parents, you don't know how long they'll be around. Money. Honestly, I've been in situations before both in University and while having a full time job, where I've been completely broke. It sucks, big time. Although I'm not earning as much as I'd like right now, I'm still in a position that lets me not have to worry too much about my finances (I still drive a 17 year old car tho), to the point where I can actually start thinking about the future and where I want to spend it. Spoiler alert, I'm going to go and live in Asia soon, where my money is going to stretch even further. I can't wait! So, let me know what you're grateful for, and try to interact with other people that have commented. Eevn if it's just a small comment of support or recognition, it's hardly a community question of the week if there isn't any community 😉 Peace out.

That's a huge achievement, congrats! Keep it up.

I want to make you all think this week. How often do you close your eyes and truly visualise the life you'll have in the future? If you haven't done it before, I want you to follow these steps now: Get yourself in a comfortable position in a distraction-free environment e.g. bedroom, office chair etc Close your eyes and let your mind clear For the next few minutes, I want you to picture yourself 20 years in the future. Here are some questions for you to consider: Where are you living? Who are you with? What are you doing? What does your kitchen look like when you wake up in the morning and go downstairs? What job do you have? Do you have children? Are you wealthy? I want you to get specific. Remember, you don't have to post it here if it's too personal for you. That's perfectly okay. But for those that are fine with it, feel free to share a few things that you see in your future 10 years down the line. Here's what I see: When I wake up, I'm next to a beautiful woman in a large contemporary house set within woodlands, not far from a lake. I make my way downstairs, have a coffee, and work out in my home gym overlooking the beautiful forest vistas. I'm getting ready to go for a hike with my wife and 3 kids, where we'll explore the landscape and take pictures of the wildlife together. Then, in the evening, I'll head to my recording studio or play the grand piano in my living room, and work on some music. Perhaps even the violin. Finally, I'll relax with a glass of wine on my balcony with my wife as we talk about sweet nothings. When I picture this I can see it in so much detail, it's almost as if I can smell the forest pines and taste the morning coffee, and hear my children's laughter. Why am I getting you to do this? I'm a firm believer in the power of visualisation. What you think, you become. If you can picture where you want to end up, all you need to do is work a tiny amount towards that goal every day and you'll be there in 20 years (or less). I'm looking forward to what you all have to say!