Grinding feels good.
Not fun good.
But mentally safe good.
You’re busy.
You’re tired.
You can point to effort.
That alone already feels like progress.
Grinding Is Comfortable
Grinding is comforting.
It gives you something to do
so you don’t have to decide.
As long as you’re moving,
you don’t have to ask
whether you’re moving in the right direction.
Games Know When Grinding Makes Sense
Games already know this.
In games, grinding is optional.
You grind because:
- You want a specific drop
- You need XP for a skill
- You’re slightly under-leveled
And when the reward stops making sense,
you stop.
No guilt.
No identity crisis.
Real Life Calls Everything “Progress”
Real life doesn’t work like that.
We grind tasks with:
- No clear reward
- No visible progress bar
- No idea what it’s even unlocking
But we keep going.
Because stopping feels worse
than being inefficient.
Busy Is Not the Same as Advancing
Busy is not the same as advancing.
Games are honest.
If an action doesn’t move you forward,
the game shows you.
Real life lies politely.
It lets you repeat the same actions every day
and still feel productive.
Grinding Feels Safe
Grinding feels productive because:
- It’s familiar
- It avoids decisions
- It postpones thinking
You don’t need to ask:
Is this worth it?
You just keep going.
Gamers Eventually Learn This
Every gamer eventually learns this:
- Grinding the wrong thing wastes time
- Some quests exist only to distract you
- Efficiency matters more than effort
And somehow, in real life,
we forget.
The Question Games Always Ask
Before grinding, games always ask:
What do you get out of this?
Real life rarely does.
So maybe you should.
What’s Next
Next: Why Protagonists Are Never in a Hurry