​Hi Reader,​

You may have seen the news.

In March 2026, a California jury found Meta and Google negligent, ordering them to pay millions in damages for designing platforms so addictive they harmed a young user's mental health. It's being called a "tobacco moment" for social media.

The key word in the ruling? Design.

Not the content. The design.

Which got me thinking, because gamification is literally the science of designing for dopamine. The same triggers that keep you scrolling at 1am are the ones I talk about every week in this newsletter.

So what's the difference?

The goal.

Are you designing to keep people stuck in endless consumption? Or to help them actually move forward?

I'll be honest with you: I struggle with TikTok. After 20 minutes on there I don't feel restored, inspired, or like I've made any progress. I just feel a bit... empty.

But when I'm inside a well-designed course, working through something that moves my business or my life forward? That's a dopamine hit I'll take every single time.

That's the whole premise behind what I do.

Gamification for progress, not for addiction.

Here's my question for you this week:

And when you think about your own course or program, which kind of experience are you designing for your students?

Hit reply, I'd genuinely love to know.​
​
​Marina

📢 What’s Happening These Days

🧪 Gamification Lab — Now with a Free Trial

The Lab has transitioned to a paid space, but you can try it free for 7 days before committing. We've just wrapped our sprint The Welcome Effect and more is coming.

👉 Start your free trial​

🎤 I'm Speaking at the Sell It Summit — April 17-21 (Free)

My session is all about using a gamified mini-course to attract, warm, and convert leads — so that by the time someone gets on a call with you, they're already sold on your method. The summit covers sales, messaging, funnels, and more. Free to attend.

👉 Grab your free spot​