Everyone has their own definition of what happiness is. (There, that’s the whole point. I’m done!) Some might find happiness in high pressure situations because of the sense of accomplishment when they succeed. Others might obtain it through living in a peaceful world with few people around them. The point is, everyone enjoys something different because everyone is different. It is the reason there is such a staggering variety of video game types.

Not everybody wants to play a video game for the same reason. Some people play to make money, some play just for fun. People play video games to relax, some want to take their mind off of other things going on in their life. Story is a big part of why some people enjoy games, while others just enjoy the gameplay aspects. Not only do we see a wide variety of games that cater to these different types of gamers, but more and more games offer players a variety of ways to play a single game. Role-playing-games are probably the first thing that come to mind when talking about a video game providing different ways to play. From the get-go you can choose to create a character that plays more aggressively or a character that sneaks around or one that plays defensively or another that stays at a distance. All are valid options, but each player will gravitate towards what they enjoy the most.

Nobody gets to choose their starting position in life. You are born with what you have and are required to start in whatever circumstance you are given. But this does not mean that you are not allowed to move past where you start. Whenever the larger world opens up to you, it is up to you to decide how you want to live your life. That will not be the same place in life for everybody either, some people get that chance to go into the world on their own earlier, and some just have to wait for it to happen. Really, the world is open to you from the start, but it’s good to finish the tutorial and be prepared first, though.

Both life and video games can offer a more direct path with fewer obstacles, but that’s not always going to be the best path for everyone. I think about the game Skyrim and how you are given a sword and shield to fight with at the beginning, but not everybody wants to play the entire game like that. Further along, you will come across a bow and may find that you prefer to use that. Even then, some players may do better firing arrows more aggressively and some may prefer staying further away and attacking enemies before they can get close. Neither option is better or worse than the other, they just require different skills and offer different rewards and challenges.

As an adult it can be easy to find a job that pays well enough and is not necessarily difficult, but that job may not be fulfilling the needs and desires of someone who finds it to be easy. Maybe it just fills a need and requires minimal effort. Another person may love that job and stick with it for as long as they can. If it is not something that makes you happy though, why do it? For a paycheck? Stability? Those may be good reasons for a time, but they should not be the reason you stay at a place in life that does not make you happy. Often, the things that make you happiest in life require taking the biggest risks.