Stardew Valley has some interesting connections to real life.

Here are three lessons I’ve learned from my time playing Stardew Valley.

I’ve played over 600 hours of Stardew Valley spanning over the last 5 years.

For those that don’t know, Stardew Valley is a simulation role-playing game. You are working in a dead-end, soul-sucking corporate job when you find out that your grandfather has died. You inherit his run-down farm in Pelican Town, where you are tasked to bring the farm back to life.

These are three impactful lessons I’ve learned from my time with Stardew Valley.

Hard work pays off.

Stardew Valley is about patience and hard work.

In the game, the farm you inherit is initially filled with rocks, branches, and overgrown weeds that you have to clear in order to make room for your crops. Tools used to maintain the farm are limited, but can be upgraded over time. It can feel like a chore sometimes, but that’s the fun of it.

Nothing beats the feeling of seeing that progression over time.

It’s about the journey, not the destination.

I found that the best part about Stardew Valley is building up to the end goal of having a highly efficient, money-making farm.

Sometimes you focus so much on your end goal that you forget about what’s going on in front of you. You forget to be present in the moment. This could be with your kids, work, or school.

Sometimes you just have to slow down, reflect on what you’ve got now, and enjoy the journey.

There’s never only one way of doing things.

Everyone has some sort of routine in their life.

We stick to these because they’re familiar. In Stardew Valley, you’re encouraged to step out of that familiarity. Seasons change, crops change, and people in-game change. It encourages you to experiment.

Sometimes it’s best to step out of your comfort zone and do things differently.