Since I’ve been home in the past few days I’ve spent a good amount of time re-playing old NES/SNES games, namely the Mario series and reliving that childhood nostalgia.

Each one has about 8-10 worlds to pass, and the best parts by far come from within those first x-1 levels, where ‘x’ is the total # of levels, right before you reach the final boss.

However in reaching Bowser and saving this princess who fails in not getting captured, the thrill is over, just like that.

One would think that with the sense of accomplishment gained by completing each of the previous levels/worlds would be magnified in completing the entire game, but it was the complete opposite of that.

It’s akin to that great movie you never want to end, or that perfect day at Disneyland as a kid, the most depressing part by far is knowing it’s ended, or even when it’s about to end. You leave satisfied but wanting more. You face withdrawal, which like any pleasurable moment eats you up inside like a drug.

Society tells us that the “American dream” is defined as settling down, having our 2.3-2.5 kids, buying the house + minivan and from there it’s all lollipops and rainbows.

However for those who don’t achieve any/all of this, they reflect back on life and think where did they fail, which is soon followed by feelings of cynicism and hatred of life.

It is my feeling though, that for the ambitious among us, that life becomes infinitely more depressing once our goals are reached.

It’s a catch-22 in the sense that the ones whose expectations far exceed those of a “normal” person’s, that they need more to accomplish in life. It is those who are never content with life that accomplish the most, otherwise, why try?

What is your ultimate goal? What happens when it’s achieved? You’re not defined in what you’ve accomplished but in how you accomplished it.

The piece of paper that says you have a Ph.D in nuclearphysioradioscience doesn’t define you, it’s those 4a.m. mornings you spent 8 days a week soaking up the material that did.

It’s  not the Super Bowl trophy that defines a player, it’s the 25 years of practices, training camps, 2 a days, and hours in the film room that define him.

There are even cases of people that are misdiagnosed with cancer for years, who get into deep depressions when they find out they didn’t have it, as that defined who they are.

And once you take away what it was that defines you, that’s taking away everything you have.

Give me back my Mario, give me more reason to live.