The motivational driver based on believing you're part of something bigger than yourself
Core Idea: Epic Meaning & Calling is the motivational drive activated when people believe they're doing something greater than themselves or were "chosen" to take a specific action.
Key Elements
Key Principles
- Creates a narrative of purpose beyond self-interest
- Taps into higher-level meaning to drive engagement
- Makes users feel their actions have significance beyond personal benefit
- Positions users as part of a larger narrative or "chosen" group
- Represents the prime White Hat Core Drive within the Octalysis Framework
Implementation Timing
- Most effective during the Discovery and Onboarding Phases of a player's journey
- Establishes why users should participate in your mission very early
- Strengthens all other seven Core Drives when introduced correctly
Manifestations
- Contributing to collective knowledge projects (like Wikipedia)
- Participating in scientific initiatives that benefit humanity (like FoldIt)
- Being part of an "exclusive" early adoption group for a meaningful cause
- Experiencing "Beginner's Luck" that suggests special abilities or destiny
- Working toward environmental or social impact goals
- Cultural concepts like the Chinese "孝" (xiao) that create deep meaning through family obligation
Implementation Techniques
- Narrative (Game Technique #10): Contextual storytelling that explains purpose
- Humanity Hero (Game Technique #27): Incorporating world missions into offerings
- Elitism (Game Technique #26): Forming prideful groups based on shared characteristics
- Example: Kiva.org pitting Christians vs. Atheists in charitable giving competition
- Beginner's Luck (Game Technique #23): Making users feel uniquely destined
- Example: Giving new game players rare powerful items typically hard to obtain
- Free Lunch (Game Technique #24): Providing special benefits that create a sense of being chosen
Limitations and Challenges
- Can feel forced or manipulative if not authentic to the experience
- Requires believability to be effective
- Can backfire and alienate users if perceived as disingenuous
- Lacks urgency - people often procrastinate even on meaningful actions
- Difficult to maintain over long periods without reinforcement
- Not equally effective across all personality types and cultures
Powerful Examples
- Waze turning GPS navigation into a collective battle against "traffic monsters"
- Users reporting and fixing map errors in navigation apps out of commitment to collective accuracy
- TOMS Shoes connecting product purchases to charitable giving
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Intrinsic Motivation (Epic Meaning is primarily intrinsic), Octalysis Framework (one of eight core drives)
- Applications: Community Building (using shared purpose to create cohesion)
- See Also: Narrative Design (creating stories that evoke Epic Meaning), Elitism (technique to implement Epic Meaning)
References
- Chou, Yu-kai. "Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards."
- McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World.
#gamification #motivation #purpose #meaning #intrinsic_motivation #white_hat
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