Hey TL,
its ShoCk again.
I planned to talk about emotions,mindset and stuff like that for quite a while so I decided to make this into a small video-guide.

Maybe some of you can get something out of it.
The topic is basically why dealing with your emotions is important and how you can achieve that to reach a higher level of performance in anything [sc2] in your life.

critique+questions welcome as always,
ShoCk

sabas123

Netherlands3121 Posts

November 16 2014 19:06 GMT

I used to have a major issue with losing aswell, until the point that I was nearly crying about my ladder rank. Looking back on the years that I played starcraft competitivly (got to mid master, but breaks kills your rank) I realized that for me the problem wasn't with how I viewed anger, but the goals I had in mind.

Personally I have quite a bit of experiance with a wide range of the amount ill play in a week/day, ranging from steady 5-15 games a day, upto 30/40 games a day. this combined with months of taking breaks. the thing that I noticed was that the mindset of "this is only poinitng out my mistakes" didn't cut it for me, it was great when I won but terrible when I lost.

Over the years I started to manage my time much more, but I never stopped playing, so over the past year I had about 3/4 times that I tried to reach a certain rank, like from not playing since hots trying to get to masters in 2 months a year after the release.

Here my mindset changed from "I got to win this game" to "I got to keep winning over an extended period of time". this DID help me with my emotional issues since each time I got emotional my mind was faced with the choice between raging/being sad now or being sad in far greater proportions if I fail to reach my goal and I would highly advice people to try this if their having issues.

also if you truly truly want to not care about your games anymore, go play ALOT. try find time and play 25-35 games until the point that your mind because to clouded to care anymore. cutting in your normal sleep helps with this procces aswell^^ but this only works short term

ShoCkSC2

Germany340 Posts

November 16 2014 20:05 GMT

Interesting that you say that because whenever I'm focusing on a long-term goal like a promotion my judgement gets clouded and my emotions are way more intense.

I get way more disappointed at losing because I'm afraid of not reaching that goal.
For example I was pushing towards GM, especially on NA but got really annoyed by the lag that I have from germany.

Its very playable sometimes (200ms ping~) but sometimes Its really not (500ms ping). Getting really close but always being disappointed just by outer circumstances like lag making it unable to reach your goal made me feel really shitty.

I believe that its best to focus on the task itself rather than 'where am I going with this?' and 'How does this win/loss affect me after the game?'. My point is, you should play the game to play the game, not play the game to get the promotion.

hellokitty[hk]

United States1309 Posts

November 16 2014 20:16 GMT

Just play on EU server.

radscorpion9

Canada2252 Posts

November 17 2014 03:19 GMT

Sabas all I can say is I hope you play the game to actually have fun! If you were actually crying about your ladder rank I don't know but it seems to me that the whole point of playing the game; i.e. to have fun isn't actually being served. In some way maybe its helping you deal with related psychological issues, but I guess you'll be the judge of that.

Time and time again I read similar stories, people smashing their keyboards and becoming so enraged that it actually negatively affects their grades and their relationships. It seems to me that in many cases this game isn't so much a form of entertainment as it is a type of addiction.

irvingwei

United States1 Post

November 17 2014 06:36 GMT

--- Nuked ---

SetGuitarsToKill

Canada28396 Posts

November 17 2014 09:06 GMT

On November 17 2014 12:19 radscorpion9 wrote:
Sabas all I can say is I hope you play the game to actually have fun! If you were actually crying about your ladder rank I don't know but it seems to me that the whole point of playing the game; i.e. to have fun isn't actually being served. In some way maybe its helping you deal with related psychological issues, but I guess you'll be the judge of that.

Time and time again I read similar stories, people smashing their keyboards and becoming so enraged that it actually negatively affects their grades and their relationships. It seems to me that in many cases this game isn't so much a form of entertainment as it is a type of addiction.

As someone who's been a bit of a ladder rager before. I think some people just have an inability to deal with losing, especially when it's something we care about. I certainly am that type. I'm not sure if it's a pride thing, or if I've just always been a crybaby, but it feel like such a huge blow when you lose. Like you aren't worth shit unless you win. I'm competitive, but very aware of how badly I suck and it becomes too much to handle... And the rage happens. It's disappointment, really. At least in my case, stemming from issues of self esteem and worth. It's still fun to play, especially when I win, but at times negative feelings rise up and take over.

sabas123

Netherlands3121 Posts

November 17 2014 21:16 GMT

I an extreme example and got over it now.

but it felt more that I was incompetent in reaching my goal than losing. I did had fun playing the game thou, but it wasn't enough to overpower my emotions of pride