EPTA lot of the time, we're our own worst enemies in SC2. We get down on ourselves, we BM each other, and we lose confidence. You have to remember that any negative energy you put into your SC2 gaming will only hinder your progress - you must be fearless and looking to improve to make the most effective use of your practice time.
A long time ago I wrote a guide called Positive Mindset: The Key to SC2. In this guide I made three suggestions that I think will help people improve:
1) Be Good Manner
Oftentimes, people get so caught-up in the stress of the game that they forget to have fun. At the start of every game, don't me mute and don't be rude: put out the GL HF. If he doesn't respond, that's fine - you're probably in a more positive mindset and now you know you have that edge over him - so smile to yourself . Take it a step further every game by wishing your opponent the best of luck and telling him to have a blast, and leaving every game with "GG nice timing push or "GG wp, that harrass was killer, man!" If you stay good mannered, you're more likely to stay in a focused and positive mindset. Then, instead of rage-quitting and queuing another game while you're angry, you can take the reasons you lost and apply them to your game to further your growth. And who knows, maybe that player to whom you showed respect in your gracious exit from the game will provide you with a couple tips and practice games to really help you overcome that flaw in your game.
2) Be Confident
Now, I'm not saying everyone should point at IdrA and do the throat-slash like oGsMC did at MLG, but SC2 is competitive and you have to know you have an edge over your opponent to play your best. When I play a game, I use positive self-talk to stay pumped and focus. Yes, it sounds like something an insane asylum resident would preach, but I assure you it's been proven effective. There are two types of Self-Talk I recommend. The first is motivational self-talk: say something to get yourself into the zone like "I'm going to win this game" or my personal favorite "The way I see it, those are my ladder points - You're just holding them for me ". The second type is instructional self-talk. For example, say "I'm going to get my speed up early, then expand, then I'm going to drone to 27 get a warren down and grind this guy's front door with ling/roach. Man, I'm going to FORCE the issue until he makes a mistake, and when he does, I'm going to capitalize on it." Therefore, talking to yourself doesn't mean you're crazy - it keeps you focused on your specific goals in the game and gives you that oh-so-critical mindset advantage.
3) Focus on YOUR game
How many times have you heard someone complain about how strong colossus are, how slow hydras are, or how this guy or that guy is a maphacker. Ignore this type of thinking. Every SC2 player would learn and play significantly better if they considered imbalance, hacks, and cheese none-existent. If you stop focusing on things you can't control, you'll start focusing on the things you can. When someone cheeses you, treat it like you played a 30 minute game and still be polite and good-mannered. When someone marine/scv all-ins you, avoid thoughts like "What a cheesy noob" or "can he not win a real game?" When you get cheesed, exit the game with class, and pay attention to how you could have scouted a little earlier, how you could have reacted a tad faster, how the execution of your defense could be improved upon. Cheese is a part of the game, you can't get rid of it but you can be adequately prepared for it.
4) Be Healthy
This last tip isn't absolutely necessary to success, but if you want to play at your best you have to be at your best - both physically and mentally. I have celiac disease, so my diet is heavily restricted, but ever since the diagnosis I've paid very careful attention to what I eat and I feel and play the better for it. I'm not going to lecture you on working out and eating right, but you WILL notice a difference in your focus if you're properly nourished and you WILL notice a difference in your stamina if you're in better shape. Something I do frequently is workout in between games. You don't need a strict routine - but do some pushups, situps, planks, whatever - Get the blood flowing and the heart racing in between games and snack on blueberries and yogurt instead of nachos and ice cream. There's no reason someone who plays 12hour days in SC2 can't be in excellent physical condition - try to apply your in-game dedication to other areas of your life!
Let me know what you all think about the relation between mindset and sc2 performance/improvement. Feel free to make suggestions and offer tips!
Thanks for reading,
-Tang
