from gaming to purpose

I've always been curious about what motivates people. Why do some push themselves so hard, giving up sleep, time with friends, or even health? Is it just about money? That never felt like the whole picture to me, there seemed to be something deeper at work.

When I was younger, I was really into gaming. I spent over 10,000 hours playing Counter-Strike. If you're not into games, that might sound excessive, but for those who are, it's not so unusual. What kept me going for all those hours wasn't just the enjoyment, there was something more profound, a drive I didn't fully understand back then. I was obsessed with improvement, with becoming better each day, with mastering something challenging.

Then life shifted. I started my first job, and that's when things really changed. I realized that this same drive that once pushed me to practice Counter-Strike for hours could be redirected toward something more meaningful. The same determination, focus, and desire for mastery could help me become more useful to others as a person. I couldn't just drift through life anymore. But how do I recreate that same ambition I had for Counter-Strike? How do I get the same feeling, work ethic and enjoyment from something beyond a game?

Answering that question became a top priority for me. I went deep down the rabbit hole and in the following years consumed many books, lectures, anything that could help me understand more. The effort was worthwhile. I've made significant progress, advancing in my career, developing new skills, and building meaningful relationships, and it's helped me a lot in life. I'm thankful for whatever sparked that journey. Am I where I ultimately want to be? Not yet, but I've managed to achieve meaningful goals, and that brings a sense of fulfillment.

Now I've got new goals in sight, and I've started a new journey. I'm leaving behind an awesome job for something less certain but closer to what feels like my purpose. I've started my own company where the aim is to enable others to do the same journey I did but without the need to spend years collecting and puzzling together everything. With my background in software development and experience with personal development, I strongly believe I can make great apps and products which help others find their purpose faster.

For me, pursuing "more" isn't about financial gain, it's about purpose. I believe that my life purpose is to be useful. In order to be useful I need to do things I've never done before which is why I'm starting a business. Personal development is incredibly important to me, since the more I develop myself the more useful I can be. So with this business I'm able to do two things, be useful to others by creating tools that help them, and at the same time learn new skills which will allow me to be even more useful.

That same drive that once kept me glued to a gaming screen now fuels something much more meaningful, helping others discover their own purpose and potential. The motivation was always there, I just needed to find the right direction for it.

/Philip Rönnmark