I have been roleplaying since High School and I believe that as I have matured - so to has my roleplaying ability. That is my enjoyment of these games ( lets not be mistaken , they are no more than games ) comes from a sense of satisfaction of achieving goals , solving riddles and having fun. If you are not having fun doing whatever you are doing for fun - STOP - there is obviously something very wrong.
If you want to look at it this way :- Role Play Games (RPGs) are a superb platform for generating acting ability and interaction with other people in order to get the things you want.
The Role Play Game is a system of imagination and statistics. It is a platform for a group of people to tell each other a story as it unfolds to them. Usually , one of the group is responsible for keeping the storyline going (depending on the system that person is called Dungeon Master, Game Master, Referee Storyteller and so on), s/he is the one who has a general plot idea, an agenda if you will and the others are her players. The beautiful thing about relying on players is that no one can predict what anyone of them will do in a given situation. Alot depends on the skill of a roleplayer ... let me try to illustrate:-
if you will, that you are standing benieth a tall oak tree on top of a hill. As you look out to the west you see a walled city - it is roiling with people. Farmers taking their produce to market on oxen-wagons beside fine merchant carriges. Soldiers are guarding the gate and you can see a squad of horsemen riding from the gate.
This is worrying, are they looking for you? It was not right and definitely not just - the lady who said that you besmirched her honour, mistook you for your brother. Yes, alright, the two of you look very similar - it's just that you are not that kind of girl!
[This could be a Shakespearean plot, the city of old, the wrongfully convicted heroine and a chase. Okay it could equally be a 20th century or future plot and why not, RPGs can be set in any timescape.]
On with the story ... Look at yourself, you are dressed like a lad, your hair has been cut short and you smell like most boys do (uhgh).
How did you come to this? What were you up to before your 'good' name was called into question?
[These questions can be answered by iether you or the Storyteller - it depends on where you want to pick up the plot. ]
Only an hour ago you were dressed in a reasonable dress and had long shiny raven-black hair, now you believe that you are on speaking terms with sewer rats and who knows when your hair will be any other than mud-brown. It is time to take stock of what you have - a few coppers, a sharp utility knife, some nuts ( you are not sure if they are eadible ) and a carrycloth. Also you seem to have The City Guard on your tale, what will you do?
[Here is where
you look for options - some will come from the Storyteller who has told you
of your situation and where you are at this point in time, others - you and
your fellow players will make for yourselves.]
The story will continue from there - and your fortunes will improve or suffer pending what your actions and those around you are.