If you are ever down on motivation, struggling to maintain the will to push forward...
Stop for a second... Take a bit of time to reflect on why you do it and who you do it for.
Don't let "real life" distract you from creating your best life.
The world needs you. <3
To condition your opponent is to write them a story they believe is their own. You want your opponent to think they're adapting but they’re really just following the script that you wrote. And by the time they notice, the ending will have already been written.
Winners in the FGC are already winning long before the bracket ever starts. Let's discuss winning in the FGC and how it starts long before you sit down for your first match in tournament. (1/5)
Never take a good friend in the FGC for granted. Some of the strongest friendships begin between two people who share the same hobby. The right person will bring out the best version of you, both as a competitor and as a person.
THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS LET THIS WORLD STEAL YOUR WHIMSY. PROTECT YOUR WHIMSY AT ALL COST. DON’T LET THESE JOYLESS MOTHERFUCKERS STEAL YOUR MAGIC.
Minimize complaining about your character. Your mid tier character isn’t holding you back as much as your mindset about that character is. The more you convince yourself that your character can’t win, the harder winning becomes.
The soul of the FGC can be found at locals. The strongest scenes aren’t built at majors.
They’re built weekly by players willing to show up and support their community.
If you want your scene to prosper, show up and support your locals.
Few days ago, I officially became 45 years old. 🎂🥳
I've accomplished so much throughout my years. Marriage, great job/career, home ownership, etc. Living the American dream, as they say.
However, I am still surprised about one thing, to this day. I never thought I would still be playing Tekken.
Originally, I thought I would retire years ago, especially upon learning about some health issues: leukemia and an auto-immune disease, aka my "double whammy".
Not many people know this about me, and I kept it that way for a long time. For years, I was scared, lost, uncertain what the next day would bring me. However, I feel comfortable sharing it with you today, because I am in better spirits about myself.
During the first few months of learning about my diagnoses, I was extremely depressed. Fate dealt me a bad hand, and I wasn't sure how I would be affected by my ailments. I had many doubts about my career with Tekken, simply because I was dealing with a lot, related to my physical and mental health.
Despite hardships and challenges experienced, one thing that remained consistent was my love and passion for Tekken. I've been playing Tekken since 1998 (Tekken 2) and, outside of retiring Tekken for a few years during the Tekken Tag 2 days (wasn't my cup of tea and played FPS games to fill the void), I've been involved with the Tekken series for almost 30 years. While the evolution of the game over the years has raised many questions, Tekken was the only series that kept me locked in and focused, because there was so much to learn. Even the quirky stuff about the game fascinated me, so I kept playing.
I even played Tekken during really tough times. During those times, Tekken was an outlet for me, where I can vent and channel my anger and sadness into the game. I kept a stoic appearance most of the time when I play, especially offline, but my gameplay often times reflected how I was feeling that day. Sometimes, I found myself playing very sharply and focused, other times, I found myself playing erratically, making many mistakes. But Tekken brought much joy in my life, and much of that joy came in the form of the community.
Tekken has given me an opportunity to meet new people, and I've created many great memories to this day because of it. I still host Friday Night FT10 Fights (since June 2020, so almost 6 years!) and I've recently restarted hosting weekly lobby sessions for fun and learning. Still insane that I am even streaming, let alone playing Tekken, but people enjoy it, so I keep on going.
Today, I still play Tekken 8 for fun, and only when I have time. While not as competitive as I used to be (I only play 1-2 days a week, if I feel up to it), I still want to level up and get better. I may not be as strong as the pros, but I want to meet and learn from each of them. I want to play as many people as I can, regardless of skill level. I'm happy to get games in with people who want to learn more about Jack (I only play 1 character these days) or just play some games, in general.
Anyway, I wanted to say that Tekken has kept me busy and has given me some purpose in life, even during my darkest days. Each and every one of you who I met, who I interacted with, who I hung out with, who got some games in with me, who inspired me to grow, who I coached, who coached me, who commentated with me during FT10s, who invited me to play in team tournaments, even when I'm not a part of their official team roster, who hosted local/online tournaments, and who even check up on me from time to time...
Thank you for being a part of my life.
The FGC becomes something completely different with a rival. Without one you become comfortable. Against one every match becomes pressure. Every habit gets tested, every weakness exposed, and every loss becomes one you can’t ignore. Rivals don’t just test you, they transform you.
Or someone who got the "dream" and realized it was way more work for way less money and you won't even have the time to play the games you loved in the first place. 🤔