Gameplay of a character moving along a level
Turning your habits into a game can help motivate you, but it also comes with some downsides.

I've been trying to learn the piano for roughly half a decade. I managed to get a handle on the basics years ago, but I could never get myself to the point where I was practicing consistently. So I've been stuck at the same subpar skill level.

And it's not the only habit I've struggled to maintain. Two years ago, I joined a fitness club, hoping to get myself to play tennis every other day, but I've hardly visited it since. And my plan to meditate each morning met a similar fate earlier in the pandemic.