Pro-Gaming Attitude
What makes great gamers exceptional? Genetics? Hands? Speed? Aiming ability? Maybe Hand/eye coordination? I strongly believe its Attitude – The ability to accept situations and make them work in their favour. Losers never seem to know why they lose. They blame the game-creators for poor coding, the internet connection, the controller, their teammates, etc. Winners on the other hand play above the problems. A wise man once said, “It’s not what life hands us, but what we do about it”. What’s the most important measurement on the MLG main stage? No doubts, it’s the six inches between your ears. Winning and losing comes down to who can keep focused. Great players never let their opponent or outside conditions control their game. They are mentally tough and mentally conditioned. It’s easy to get frustrated when pressure and mistakes happen. The more you dwell on it, the more mistakes you are going to make. How many times do you witness a player get trash talked and then never finish a game, or get so frustrated because somebody brought up their mother. If an opponent can pull you out of your game, who wins? If you get mad, stay calm and be strong! Missed 4 shots, Wrong spells, bad setups are like the civil war. Once they happen, they become HISTORY!
Sportsmanship
Show sportsmanship! It is easy to be a good winner, but it takes real class to hold your head up after a tough loss. Great players never take losing well. If you gave 110% during the game, and you were beaten, there is no shame in having lost. Give credit to the team who played better on that given day. Learn from it and let it go. The respect you will gain from opponents and fans on both sides are well worth it.
Conditioning
Stay in shape! A ‘pro’ player is no smarter or skilled than the other players, but they keep going all tournament. Spend as much time caring for your body as you put into your game. Eat well, get the correct amount of rest, train as you should each week (Mentally and physically), and stay away from drugs. Training on your own isn’t easy, but as the great American Football Coach Vince Lombardi said, “fatigue makes cowards of us all”. It’s not halfway into the winners’ bracket you want to start napping.
It’s never over until the fat lady sings
Never give up! Winners never quit. Finding a way to win is the mark of a great team. Nothing is impossible when you believe. “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle” (A. Lincoln). You will be surprised what can happen when you never give up.
Commitment and hard work
Work hard and be aggressive. Never be out hustled or out fought. The team who is persistent usually comes out on top. Show enthusiasm! Nothing is ever hard work, unless you would rather be doing something else. Make a commitment to excel you never stop improving. When things you did yesterday still look big to you today, you have not done much today. There is no substitute for practice. Do not count the days…..make each day count! The only person that keeps you on the bench and from being a starter…..is you!
Teammates
Strong players criticize themselves, not their teammates. Everyone has room for improvement no matter what the level of play, and talking about someone else’s short comings never helps improve your game. Take an interest in your squad and friendships will grow along with the success of the team. Remember, there is no “I” in team.
Leadership
Never be afraid to take charge. When a teammate is ‘down’ pick them up with some encouragement and get back on track. At training be the first one online and the last one to sign out. Talk in game; assist whenever possible, let people know when you have an idea, or when there is a flaw in the game plan. What you can see as plain as day may be hard for someone else to see. Never take any opponent for granted, respect everyone’s ability. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. Be a total player!
Final Thoughts
Play hard! But never take yourself so serious that you forget to smell the roses. Enjoy the game. Take what it has to give you and apply it to what life throws your way. Remember, we cannot always control what goes on outside, but we can control what goes on inside. Be mentally tough, Never let what happens during a tournament take you out of your game. Concentrate on what is important, experience, learn, be the best you can, and the best will come back to you. Champions are made, never born. Ability can get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.
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