The Importance of Play

Heard this idea from two people I admire, John Cohn and Randy Pausch

Watch Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.

One of life goal’s should be to maximize fun.

If I am not doing things that maximizes that, why am I doing it?

Focus on doing high-density fun.

• Low-density fun would be mindlessly scrolling social media

Also aim for high-quality leisure, since they optimize faster attention restoration (through soft fascination) Source, ideas from Deep Work

Levels of Fun

I first heard this idea through Stuff Made Here’s podcast episode, where he talks about Long distance cycling.

https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/fun-scale

• Type I Fun: Type 1 fun is enjoyable while it’s happening. Also known as, simply, fun. Good food, 5.8 hand cracks. Sport climbing, powder skiing, margaritas.
• Type II Fun: Type 2 fun is miserable while it’s happening, but fun in retrospect. It usually begins with the best intentions, and then things get carried away. Riding your bicycle across the country. Doing an ultramarathon. Working out till you puke, and, usually, ice and alpine climbing. Also surely familiar to mothers, at least during childbirth and the dreaded teenage years.
• Type III Fun: Type 3 fun is not fun at all. Not even in retrospect. Afterward, you think, “What in the hell was I doing? If I ever come up with another idea that stupid, somebody slap some sense into me.” Many alpine climbs. Failed relationships that lacked Type I fun. Offwidths. Writing a book.