Jane McGonigal
Born: October 21, 1977 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Jane McGonigal is a game designer, researcher, and futurist whose work explores games, resilience, and collective problem-solving. She is known for the books Reality Is Broken, SuperBetter, and Imaginable, as well as TED talks viewed millions of times, helping popularize game-based approaches to health, learning, and social innovation.
Biography & Author's Journey
Jane McGonigal built her career at the intersection of game design, psychology, and futures thinking. Raised in New Jersey, she studied English at Fordham University, graduating in 1999, and later earned a Ph.D. in performance studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Her early academic work examined the social and psychological dimensions of games at a time when game studies still sat near the edge of the academy. That combination of literary training, performance theory, and experimental design shaped her central premise: games are not merely entertainment, but systems that can organize attention, strengthen agency, and help people work on real problems.
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Learning about gameful design
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Gameful design harnesses the engaging elements of games to create meaningful experiences that drive motivation and behavior change. This learning plan benefits product designers, managers, educators, and anyone looking to increase engagement in their systems, products, or personal development strategies.
Mindset, Focus, Game Dev, Guitar & Growth
Mindset, Focus, Game Dev, Guitar & Growth
This plan is designed for polymaths and creators who want to bridge the gap between technical game development and artistic musical performance. It is ideal for individuals looking to optimize their mental framework and habit systems to achieve mastery in multiple complex disciplines simultaneously.
Game design and goal management
Game design and goal management
This plan bridges the gap between creative game mechanics and professional project management. It is ideal for aspiring game designers and project leads who want to apply psychological triggers and structured execution systems to hit ambitious development targets.
Apply Neuroplasticity to Design Innovation
Apply Neuroplasticity to Design Innovation
This program bridges the gap between cognitive science and practical problem-solving for professionals in creative and strategic roles. It is ideal for designers, engineers, and leaders looking to harness the brain's physical adaptability to foster a culture of breakthrough thinking.
Self-Improvement, Mindfulness & Tech Science
Self-Improvement, Mindfulness & Tech Science
In an era of constant digital distraction, mastering the intersection of neuroscience and mindfulness is essential for peak performance. This plan is designed for professionals and lifelong learners seeking to reclaim their focus and build resilient habits through scientific and meditative practices.
Creativity, Neuroscience & Mental Health
Creativity, Neuroscience & Mental Health
This plan bridges the gap between brain science and personal growth, offering a unique look at how biological innovation drives psychological resilience. It is ideal for creative professionals, wellness advocates, or anyone seeking to leverage neuroplasticity for a healthier, more inspired life.
Design, Crochet, Social Skills & Fitness
Design, Crochet, Social Skills & Fitness
This comprehensive plan bridges the gap between physical health, social intelligence, and creative mastery for a truly holistic self-improvement journey. It is ideal for individuals seeking to balance technical design skills and mindful crafting with the physical energy and social presence needed to excel in modern life.
Tech, Habits & Behavioral Science Growth
Tech, Habits & Behavioral Science Growth
This learning plan bridges the gap between cognitive science and daily digital life, offering a roadmap to regain agency over your actions. It is ideal for product designers, leaders, and anyone looking to master their habits and understand the psychological forces shaping modern behavior.
Community Voices
"Jane McGonigal has long been a visionary"
— Daniel H. Pink
"Jane McGonigal's work provides us with a whole new set of tools to make important decisions better, faster, and more transparently"
— Sid Meier
"Jane McGonigal shows a playful doorway to well-being and how much we can gain from training attention"
— Jack Kornfield
"Jane McGonigal's insights have the elegant, compact, deadly simplicity of plutonium, and the same explosive force"
— Cory Doctorow
"Jane McGonigal is unusually adept at anticipating events that most of us can't even fathom"
— Adam Grant
"In Imaginable, futurist Jane McGonigal offers us her outstretched hand"
— Julie Lythcott-Haims
"Jane McGonigal's fascinating, ground-breaking approach shows how living gamefully can help us lead happier, healthier, more engaged lives"
— Gretchen Rubin
"With Imaginable, Jane McGonigal has pulled off a rare and essential feat"
— Steven Johnson
"In Imaginable, Jane McGonigal teaches us to bring soul-stirring imagination to our daily lives"
— Nir Eyal
"Hundreds of thousands of people have had their lives changed by Jane McGonigal's SuperBetter program, and I see why"
— Charles Duhigg
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
