There are few things in life more refreshing than a night off after a long week. On that list, if you’re feeling lucky, is trying something new.

For me, diving into a new game can feel like a magical experience. I’m not the fittest person, but when I’m immersed in a game, I want to romp and adventure like a fiend. There are so many odd things to poke at, places to explore and secrets waiting to be discovered. Where will I go? Will I make some friends? As the world unfolds at my fingertips, it feels like the possibilities are endless.

But as the hours pass, familiarity sets in, and what was once fresh and exciting becomes a script of numbers, repetition and skill. That enthusiasm to experiment is slowly dissolved by a dogged determination to get that “perfect” score–but in the end, is the effort really worth it? We turn to video games for fun, but when that feeling starts to fade, what drives us to keep on playing?

I can’t speak for everyone since games are just that: games. For a wide majority of those who play for casual amusement, games aren’t expected to be anything more than a way to get over boredom.

A couple of weeks back, I came across the shocking discovery that my dad played Bejeweled. You see, many years ago, the mother unit had ‘banned’ him from buying new computer games. She thought that games would distract him from spending time with her. Since then, I’ve always seen my dad play relics from his small Collection of Olde, so the fact that he found something else, and all on his own, was pretty epic!

“Bejeweled? That’s a fun game!” Being sneaky, I tried to draw him into others, but maybe it was a little too soon. One new hobby was enough. “No, no, your games are too complicated,” he said, “I only play to pass the time.” Right. But he was finally branching out after years of being a hermit to the gaming world, so who was I to argue? I fought back the urge to plug Puzzle Quest, and like proper upstanding folks, we started a well-mannered intellectual conversation about Bejeweled. He turned to me excitedly. “What’s your high score?” Um. For Bejeweled? I honestly can’t remember, but whatever it was, his millions towered impressively over mine. The next few minutes were spent listening to him talk about his record, but that was fair (and payback for all the times I’ve returned the favor). It’s natural to take pride in the things we work hard at achieving!

In ancient times, I spent many an evening playing the MMORPG Ragnarok Online. It’s embarrassing really, but my hours on the laptop were bordering on addiction. The game sucked me in from the beginning, playing on my weakness for cutesy pixels and the fantasy genre. My social life never stood a chance. I made a character I really liked and got involved in the community. Precious hours were spent each week trying to follow the constantly-changing market trends. Still, once I had been everywhere and sketched out my skill charts, I found myself “playing” nearly every day until it became a chore. OK, it’s time to grind more levels. Alright, let’s hunt Peach Trees for some quick cash. I spent years on a game, and what was it for? A level 99 character I don’t play anymore?

I tell myself that it was fun while it lasted, so I don’t have real regrets, but sometimes I catch myself thinking of all those nights I could have spent having fun elsewhere instead of forcing myself to get to the next level, or to find that rare drop. There were other, better games to play, people to see and shows to watch, which I somewhat ignored for the sake of following the familiar grind. Sure, becoming “pro” has its merits, but being there isn’t as satisfying as I once thought it would be.

You can’t always finish what you start, and when it comes to something you do for enjoyment, you really shouldn’t feel like you need to, knowing the fact that some games never end. Most have a finite number of items to unlock, a storyline to follow from beginning to end, or a leveling system that tells you when you’ve reached the top. However, with online, casual and fighting games especially, the emphasis isn’t to “finish” the game but to climb the ladder and be the best at it.

When my friends and I were too young to afford a lot of games, we looked forward to every one we got. We would go to one another’s houses and rock the weekends playing through titles one by one. As a kid, I played whatever I could get my little hands on, pouring countless hours into Minesweeper and SkiFree. I read instruction manuals from cover to cover, and would beat each game before I moved to the next. These days, a small collection of still-shrink wrapped games have made a home on my desk, waiting patiently for the day I finally open them. I’m still buying more, making a good-sized colony while telling myself that I’ll play them someday, “When I have the time.” I mean, I still like video games, but as we grow older our priorities tend to change. I find myself spending more time writing and talking about games than I do actually playing them.

These are a few things I think about when I’m working at my desk. I landed a new job last month, and it’s a comfortable environment; the people are nice and it pays the bills. I’m snugly fitting in, and for the first time in my life, I’m actually starting to get sick of coffee. Still, there are important questions to ask, such as, is this what I want to be doing? Can I see myself in this job for years, or is it just another grind? While I was waiting for the elevator after work, I ran into a guy I had met during my first week at the office. He told me that he was leaving. Oh, that’s nice–wait, what? He was being paid well and got along with everyone in his department. He was nearly at the top, so why on earth would he leave? While the job has its perks, he said, what he truly wants is a career in his field, and that wasn’t happening while he concentrated on work. So, instead of settling, he’s making himself quit for that hard first step in the right direction.

We are so driven to succeed sometimes that we often lose sight of what really matters, and that’s being happy just doing what we like.

I wished him the best of luck.

Life isn’t a game–most of us don’t have a choice when it comes to our daily routine. Still, it’s within our power to choose what paths we take. As long as we make an effort, there’s no point in selling ourselves short with all those shrink wrapped opportunities just waiting to be opened.

I think I’ll kick back this weekend, and actually play some games. What will you be doing? Goodnight, all!