From personal branding to honing leadership skills, top business lessons from popular video games

Video games often are unfairly associated with terms such as complacency, violence, obesity, juvenility etc. Setting aside the general misconception, there is plenty to gain from video games too. Here are some valuable business and life lessons that you can learn from your favourite gaming title: (Image: Tomb Raider)

Game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | What you can learn from it: Meticulousness pays | Just like dropping Easter eggs in movies, game developers often code secrets in video games. These covert tidbits are not showcased in the tutorials and calls for a very attentive gamer to uncover well-concealed details. In the game, the search for Biggoron’s sword, the most powerful weapon in the mystic land of Hyrule, demands your utmost attention. Only the most meticulous become worthy owners of this weapon. Most open-world games involve parallel quests which deviate from the structured storyline, eluding all but the most attentive. (Image: Nintendo)

Game: Grand Theft Auto | What you can learn from it: Failure is key to success | Video games progress through a series of missions. Each mission uncovers a different aspect of the story and helps you in unravelling the larger picture. Just like in the realm of reality, we often find ourselves in tough spots in the virtual world of GTA. It even taunts players with a “Wasted” screen for each failure. Repeated failures, translates into a learning curve. Each time you go into a heist you go with a wider perspective and better understanding. Approaching real life with similar cautiousness will help you win both in your personal and professional spheres. (Image: Rockstar Games)

Game: Starcraft | What you can learn from it: Calculated risks are better than no risks | Real-time strategy games got a real push with the release of Starcraft in 1998. The game is so famous that it has become a lucrative e-sport in South Korea. The best players even enjoy the status equivalent to that of chess grandmasters. They are not afraid of experimentation, even at the cost of an occasional loss. Lesson: taking calculated risks in net projects growth and lands you on the right side of the fence. (Image: Starcraft)

Game: Fortnite | What you can learn from it: Sustainable use of resources is critical | More often than not in life, when you enter a business/entrepreneurial venture, you start off with limited resources. As you move forward, you gather more resources and insight along the way. Similarly, in Fortnite, the only tool you have when you are dropped from the sky is a pickaxe. As the game progresses you gather resources including first aid, ammo, weapons among others. In order to succeed, the optimum utilisation of resources is vital. (Image: Epic Games)

Game: FIFA career mode | What you can learn from it: Leadership is an acquired skill | The managerial mode of FIFA is an exercise in simulation whereby you are placed at the helm of your beloved club. As the gaffer, your duties extend from concluding deals in the transfer market, managing club finances, catering to the individual needs of players, and much more. The fate of the club is in your hands and every decision you make is of utmost importance. Such real-world like situations gives you perspective on how to manage people while staying in line with the organisation's goals. (Image: PlayStation)

Game: Final Fantasy | What you can learn from it: Personal Branding | Personal branding is the practice of marketing your career and yourself as brands. The idea behind the concept is self-packaging rather than self-improvement. Role-playing games embody similar techniques, where the goal is the development of the protagonist which involves beating every boss, finding every hidden weapon, unlocking every secret and much more, Players spend hundreds of hours in moulding their characters to fully realise their true potential. (Image: Final Fantasy XV)