Should Mario Collect All the Points or Just Get to the Finish Line?

From the series: More questions that I don't have answers to yet

On a Friday that felt inexplicably like a Sunday, I found myself playing Super Mario at Asiya’s place. It had been years since I touched the game, and unsurprisingly, I was rusty. Mario was still doing his thing—jumping on Goombas and collecting coins—but I was moving cautiously, almost like I was relearning how to play. As I progressed through the levels, I noticed something strange: I was obsessively collecting all the points. Every coin, every hidden block, every extra life was essential, and I was determined not to leave anything behind.

But here’s the kicker—I was doing this even when it slowed me down. I’d repeat sections of the game, battle the same monsters multiple times, all for the sake of picking up every single point. And I wondered, why?

And of course, this got me thinking: is this how I approach life too? If I think of life as a game with a broader objective (and let’s be honest, we’re all figuring out what that is for ourselves), am I collecting all the points at the expense of making meaningful progress? Do I chase every opportunity, every small win, because I’m worried I’ll miss out on something that could be pivotal later?

Maybe it’s because, deep down, I’m afraid of missing out on something. Leaving money or opportunities on the table feels risky, like I might regret it later. What if those extra points were the difference between success and failure? What if that one side quest opened up a path I didn’t know existed? It’s that sneaking feeling that by rushing toward the end, I might overlook something important along the way.

I used to operate like this all the time (I still do, but trying to change that) —grabbing every opportunity, saying yes to everything, and pursuing side quests that came my way without much thought. It felt productive at the time, like I was ticking all the boxes and gaining experiences. But now, I’m not so sure. I’ve become more selective, more mindful about the side quests I take on. I no longer feel the need to chase every shiny coin that pops up, but I also wonder if I’m missing out by letting some of those opportunities pass me by.

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So, what’s the right approach? Is there even a right approach?

On one hand, collecting every point and playing every side quest feels like you’re making the most of every moment. You gather experiences, learn from different situations, and maybe even unlock doors you didn’t know were there. But it’s also exhausting. It can feel like you’re spending so much time on the small things that you lose sight of the bigger picture—or worse, you never actually get to the finish line.

On the other hand, staying focused on the end goal can feel more purposeful. You move faster, make more significant strides, and maybe reach your objective with a greater sense of clarity. But what if, in the rush to get there, you miss out on all the interesting and unexpected things that make the journey worthwhile?

I don’t have an answer to this, honestly. Life, much like Mario, doesn’t come with a clear rulebook on whether you should collect all the points or head straight for the exit. I’m still figuring it out as I go, and this particular Friday felt like another layer to that question—one that I’m not close to answering yet.

Maybe there’s no “right” way to play, or maybe it’s about finding a balance between the two. I don’t know. What I do know is that this question—of whether to pursue every opportunity or focus on the main objective—has popped up more frequently in my life. And much like in the game, I’ll probably keep experimenting, keep getting it wrong, and maybe one day, I’ll stumble onto something that feels right.

But for now, I’ll keep playing, wondering if that extra coin was worth the effort—or if I should’ve just focused on getting to the flagpole sooner.

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Cheers ✨,
Varun

PS: Testing if the Bionic reading typography helped you read this quicker. Did it?