What "Solo Leveling" Taught Me About Motivation, Progress, and Getting Things Done

What Gamifying My Tasks Taught Me About Motivation, Progress, and Getting Things Done.

A few months ago, I got hooked on Solo Leveling.

I’d seen it recommended a million times but always brushed it aside. Then, one Saturday night, a friend told me they’d started watching it… and I caved.

Within days, I’d finished Season 1, sprinted through the first episodes of Season 2, and devoured the entire manga.

I was obsessed. But more than that… I was inspired.

The main character, Jinwoo, wasn’t born with talent. He started weak, underestimated, and struggling to survive. But the moment he got access to a structured system—a way to track progress, complete tasks, and earn rewards—everything changed. He became stronger, more disciplined, and unstoppable.

And that’s when it hit me: I don’t need a magical system to “level up.” I can create my own.

At the time, I was struggling to stay organized and keep up with tasks. So I decided to gamify my work and personal growth by building a simple system that would make productivity feel more rewarding.

How I Turned My To-Do List Into a Game

Instead of treating tasks as a never-ending to-do list, I structured them into quests and created a system with XP (experience points), levels, and rewards. Here’s how I set it up:

📌 Step 1: Define Key Areas of Growth

I broke my tasks into six categories, treating them like “skills” I wanted to improve:

• Strength (physical health)

• Clarity (mental well-being)

• Prosperity (financial health)

• Wisdom (learning & self-improvement)

• Charisma (social connections & networking)

• Drive (business & work tasks)

📌 Step 2: Assign XP to Tasks

Each task had an XP value based on effort:

• A 5-minute workout = small XP

• Completing a work milestone = more XP

• Deep work session without distractions = extra XP

📌 Step 3: Track Progress Visually

I created a progress bar for each category, so I could literally see my growth over time. Instead of feeling like I was spinning my wheels, I had a sense of momentum.

📌 Step 4: Add Rewards to Stay Motivated

Once I hit a certain XP threshold, I unlocked a reward—like watching an episode of a show, buying a book, or treating myself to something small. It made finishing tasks feel fun and satisfying rather than just another thing to check off.

The Unexpected Benefits

I followed this system for two weeks, and the impact was immediate:

• Less procrastination: Instead of mindlessly scrolling, I found myself more engaged in my tasks.

• More energy & focus: Since I was rewarding myself with actual breaks, I felt more refreshed throughout the day.

• Better work-life balance: Instead of feeling guilty for taking time off, I saw it as part of the system.

Surprisingly, even when I unlocked rewards like 15 minutes of scrolling, I didn’t always use them right away. I started making more intentional choices about how I spent my time.

The Challenges of Gamifying My Tasks

It wasn’t perfect. It took me a few hours to build the system, and I had to tweak my XP values so rewards felt achievable but not too easy. Also, tracking everything manually became a bit of a hassle( even as I moved from notebook to spreadsheet), so I’d look for ways to automate it next time.

Would I Do This Again?

Absolutely—but only when I need a motivation boost. It’s a great system for breaking out of a productivity slump or making mundane tasks feel more engaging.

How You Can Try It in Your Business

If you’re a solo entrepreneur struggling to stay motivated, this might help you too:

• Break your work into “quests” (e.g., deep work sessions, networking, admin tasks)

• Assign XP to tasks based on effort

• Track progress with a spreadsheet or habit tracker

• Set rewards that actually motivate you

You can even gamify business tasks!

For example:

✔️ One hour of uninterrupted client work = 10 XP

✔️ Completing an admin task you hate = 5 XP

✔️ No social media distractions for half a day = 15 XP

If you try this, let me know how it works for you. I’d love to hear what tweaks you make.