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Leveling up in Real Life Feels Nothing Like a Video Game
We too often miss opportunities to grow because they feel bad.
When I was four years old, my older brothers gave me one task: figure out everything there is to know about Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. At the time, this was a brand new video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Being in Kindergarten for only half-days, I had the luxury of exploring every pixel of the fantasy world of Hyrule. And even at that tender age, I understood the importance of getting new gear and leveling up. When I did, I felt more powerful and confident in undertaking the next big task.
In today’s terms, I was the ultimate XP grinder. I’d beat the same opponents hundreds of times to earn enough experience points to level up my character.
I loved it.
Leveling up characters can become totally addictive. Role-playing video games (RPGs) mimic real life by allowing characters to become stronger or more adept at some skill through experience. In other words, the more you play the more powerful your character becomes. This caused me to care a great deal about doing the most mundane tasks, like killing the same bad guys over and over again.
What does it feel like when you finally level up? Euphoric. It feels like you’re dancing on the stars. It…
