EPT
Video games.
Academia and one’s career can provide a lot of information, but it’s incredible how many succinct, comprehensible, and sensical life lessons can be found in video games. You can memorize data or develop skillsets in almost any context, but true fonts of wisdom are tough to come by, especially when you’re not sure what kind of guidance you need. Surprisingly, even for a gamer such as myself, my favored pastime is what provided me with a lot of the philosophies that I use to live my life well. These are a few of those lessons.
Play for the Late Game [Starcraft 2]
Ideally, a human lifespan lasts decades. You don’t want to burn out in some early-game cheese attempt. You want to mine out the whole map. If you think that you’re trapped in a dangerous “live-for-the-moment” play, get out as soon as you can and transition to a safer build. Some people are lucky and their cheese pays off, netting them unprecedented success for a brief and shining moment of glory. However, that luck rarely lasts and then you’ve got no resources on which you can fall back. Instead of gambling, play for the late game. Set up an early economy and defend as best you can. Sacrifice fast payoffs for a lead that will extend into later years. Aim for the end-game strategy that you know is unbeatable, then execute it with patience and intelligence. It’ll pay off with a well-earned victory.
“When You’re Ahead, Get More Ahead.” [Starcraft 2]
Don’t squander an early game lead when you’re heading in the right direction. Far too many people risk their future opportunities for short-term gains, even after they’ve put themselves in a good position. There’s no point in taking risks if the safer path will still lead to a win. Don’t send your army into the enemy’s base before you’re completely sure you can crush them in your hands like so many paper cups. Rash actions give your opponent an opportunity to even the score or turn the tide against you. Don’t let it. Take another base, macro up, secure an unassailable lead, then ride that lead all the way to the victory screen.
“When Behind, Dark Shrine (Take a Risk)” [Starcraft 2]
On the other hand, you can’t stick to the beaten path if that path leads nowhere. Too many games are lost by players who try to execute the same strategy even after their opponent has predicted or scouted it and is prepared to counter. You have to be ready to throw out your playbook and go for broke. It takes courage and conviction to say “No. This isn’t working. I’ve got to try something else,” but sometimes that’s the only way to make any progress. Yes, you might be taking a huge chance, but if changing nothing will lead to defeat, you’ve got nothing to lose.
Play to Your Strengths and Abuse Opponents’ Weaknesses [Starcraft 2/DotA 2]
MarineKing’Prime made a name for himself in the early days of Starcraft 2 with a unique style of play and mastery of basic Terran units that was unmatched in the GSL at the time. His understanding of not only the game that other players were playing but the game that he wanted to play helped him reach the GSL Finals. MKP was an underdog that no one expected to succeed, and although he was eventually beaten by a better all-around player (Nestea), he also completely changed the game by playing in a way that no one else could. If you know your strengths and use them well, then you will create your own legend. You might always be the underdog, but you will see more success than any copycat or meta-follower ever will.
Objective-Based Gameplay [League of Legends]
There’s no reason to do something if you don’t have a goal. You can get kills in lane and as much farm as you want, but if you never group up to win teamfights, push turrets, or kill Baron, then your early efforts aren’t going to pay dividends. So don’t do things for the sake of doing them or because everyone else seems to be doing them. Instead, keep your objectives in mind. Games are won by reaching a goal and proceeding to the next one, by constantly searching for the play that will get you closer to the win. When your actions have a purpose, then the “why” behind your efforts will fall into place. You’ll be happier and more successful when you’re aiming for a target rather than firing blindly.
Study the Patch Notes [DotA2]
Change is sudden, unexpected, and constant. Whether your deity is an ancient bearded man, a frozen amphibian, or merely the winds of fate, you can be sure that they will change everything at the drop of a hat. If you get too set in your ways and become too reliant on a particular build or strategy, then you’re setting yourself up for failure when that winning strategy falls out of favor. It’s smart to take advantage of that which is empowering and strategically superior, but you don’t want to rely on unstable balance alone. Make sure that you understand why something is good and how to use it, but also be aware of the underlying mechanics that will allow you to pick up the next powerful strategy when the winds of change blow it in your direction.
Adapt to the Opposition [Starcraft 2/DotA2]
Not only will the game of life rebalance itself regularly, but each and every one of your opponents will be different. Don’t get caught treating them like someone you’ve faced before. You’ll want to use your core skills and competencies in every situation, but you should know how to choose an optimal course of action when each new situation arises. This requires you to know how to assess the flow of the game and analyze the opposition's choices on the fly so you can make intelligent decisions about how to respond to the enemy. Don’t just go for a Dagon or a Black King Bar every single game. Don’t blindly stick to your 4-Gate or Oracle Rush because it’s earned you a few wins in the past. Eventually, inflexible use of a single strategy will be hard countered. Be ready to change and you won’t get shut down.
Develop Your Own Playstyle [All]
In a game as complex and arbitrary as life, there’s no best way to play. There are tons of effective strategies and viable builds out there to copy, but, in the end, you’re the one who is playing. Play the way that best suits you. Mimicking someone else’s build may work for a while, but you’ll be dissatisfied (at best) or defeated (at worst) if you don’t consider what’s best way for you to play. Mindlessly following the metagame is a good way to lose interest in the game, so play in a way that makes it fun. Odds are that this will make you both happy and prosperous.
Winning Takes Preparation [All]
Flash doesn’t show up to an OSL without practicing and analyzing for hours and hours on end. Na’Vi doesn’t get to every International Finals by screwing around in the weeks and months before the event. KDJ doesn’t annihilate his foes without constantly making sure he’s at the top of his game. SKT.T1 doesn’t win a World Championship by messing around in ARAMs all day. All successful people put in the work to get their rewards. That kind of work might seem monotonous and painful, but it’s the only way to be the best.
"No Johns" [Super Smash Brothers Melee]
Life is tough. There are always struggles. Everyone experiences road blocks, shot blocks, and writer’s block (trust me on that last one). No exception. The people who take the wins, earn the trophies, and stand at the top of the pack are the ones that don’t let the problems get in their way. The losers are the ones complaining about the shit hand they’ve been dealt and yelling about how great they could be if their latest problem wasn’t holding them back. Life is not something that happens to you, it’s something you make. The winners are the ones that take whatever hand they’re given and do what they have to do no matter what. It’s not the controller, it’s not the TV, it’s not the game, it’s not the air conditioning, it’s you. Don’t make excuses, just play.
Life is a game, but it’s one with constantly-changing rules, impossibly-high stakes, and self-defined victory conditions. Play to win.
This piece of probably bad advice as well as some others (and some less condescending stuff) can be found at the N3rd Dimension.
