There are several reasons why 2008 is going to be my year when it comes to competition. I have been waiting for an opportunity to concentrate all of my energy on video games. Sounds fun, right? Well, it is and it isn’t. Becoming part of a team is like having a family that you choose. Even though you don’t want you get online all the time, you have to. After awhile, playing online can become a chore, which distracts from the reason you played in the first place – FUN! This is a problem. It happens with athletes, as well. Losing the fun factor in an activity can be problematic because it really affects your performance. My mission is to try and keep it fun. I know for a fact that when I am enjoying myself I play sooo much better than when I am taking a game super serious.

Another issue that has to be tackled when preparing for competition is your listening abilities. It’s very easy to shout out positions on where the enemies are, but when it comes to listening it can become difficult to absorb what others are saying. When you have 4 people talking over each other at the same time, while concentrating on the heat being dished out in the game, it is chaotic. Learning to filter out what is going on around you while listening to your team is very important. It really takes focus, and once you master that, your gaming abilities will drastically improve.

I am planning on working my thesis research into my game. I write a lot about motivation, so I know this is one thing that is easier said than done. To be able to change your mood to a positive one can sometimes be challenging when you’re having a bad day online. But it’s essential to bounce back; that’s something that really takes skill. It’s all about dualistic interaction, which is the connection between your mind and your body working together. A good example of this is when playing Guitar Hero on expert mode, I realized that I don’t focus my mind on the notes coming at me. Instead, I let my hands do what they are trained to do according to the guitar controller. It works like a charm.

Of course, practicing is extremely important. It’s also good to take a break from your normal schedule to stop your gaming bad habits like rushing or whatever.

Are there any specific tips that you guys have that I have not mentioned?

Game On!