Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Taking out the mental garbage.

Sometimes dealing with stuff in game gets frustrating. It can be repeatedly wiping to same premade, zerg or PvE boss for hours straight. It can be another person in your group. It can be something in real life interrupting. Performance can tend to drop after the first few attempts. If this occurs, the issue is mental garbage. Here's a way to fix it.

1. Wipe the slate clean. The past is history. The future is a mystery. There is only the present. The only place is here. The only time is now. There is only the moment. Acknowledge your mistakes, forgive yourself for them, and go on. Deal with your emotions in the moment before they consume you.

2. Think about nothing. If you are thinking about other things, you cannot focus on what you are doing. If you don't believe me, just go outside and think about nothing. Notice the extra sounds you hear that you didn't when your mind was cluttered. Notice the subtle breeze you feel that you didn't when you were distracted by life's other things. Notice the pace of your breath that you normally ignore when thinking about other things.

3. Get your breathing under control. You should quickly notice your breathing when you have cleared your mind of other things. If it is faster than it is when you are completely calm, intentionally focus first on slowing down your breathing. Once you have slowed your breathing back down to your calm state, again clear your mind and think of nothing.

4. Know that it's ok to not win every time. If you have given everything you have with your full attention in a calm state, and you cannot win, let it go. Accept the loss, don't make excuses, and go on. It was something outside yourself that caused it. You cannot give any more than your best with full attention and full calm.

In the end, this is just a game. It's supposed to be fun. Don't let one thing you can't control ruin that fun.

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