How to Maintain a Positive Attitude in Solo Queue

A question that often pops up among League of Legends players is something along the lines of, “How do I get out of ‘x’ ELO?”. Answers vary depending on the ELO, player, and the situation, but an answer that always seems to be a common one is ‘By keeping a positive attitude'.'

In the manic world of solo queue, this is often easier said than done, but there’s a reason it’s such a popular answer: having a positive attitude that you can instill in your teammates is an irreplaceable tool for victory for any Summoner. Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.”

It’s important to start the game off on the right foot with your teammates. It’s frustrating for people to get into a draft, hoping to get their favorite position, and having it being called right away. Starting the game off with a “Hello” and a “What are you guys looking to play?” can go a long way. Sure, you might not get to go top and slam dunk your way to a mid-game penta as downright Darius every game, but you can take the opportunity to give your game a positive atmosphere.

Asking your team how they are doing can also be effective. While it might catch people off guard and bring the trolls of your team out early, or not be perceived at all, it could also remind your team that they are playing with four other human beings. These techniques can be especially effective if you’re first pick. As first pick, all eyes are on you. With this power, you can not only set the tone with your bans and initial pick, but with your positive words.

Don’t be discouraged if the things you say are ignored; people are often focused on other things, carrying the weight of a previous game on their shoulders or, like I said, are caught off guard by someone acting civil to other players.

When starting the game, try and get down to business as quickly as possible. If you aren’t jungling, lead by example and protect your jungler’s buffs. Ping and ask others to do the same so your jungler doesn’t have to. If you invade make sure everyone is getting ready. If someone is off doing their own thing, it could mean bad news for your invade. Don’t be afraid to call the invade off. When getting into lane, focus on what you’re doing, but don’t forget to stay map aware and call MIAs. If your teammate gets first blood, counter jungles effectively, or covers your lane, don’t forget to thank them or tell them good job. This period of the game usually sets the tone for the rest of the game, so try your best to make sure that it is a good experience.

As the game goes on, some frustrating things are going to happen. First blood might go to the other team, your AD might lag out, a gank might go awry, or someone might miss an MIA. Over the course of the hour that a match usually takes, there are literally thousands of things that can (and will) go wrong. It is important to take everything with a grain of salt and to focus on the positive. You might be CSing well, your middle laner might be getting fed, or your jungler might help your bot lane get a double kill. Focus on those positive things, and help your team focus on them. The best way to stay happy is to make your team happy. Compliment them! If your top laner makes a good escape, a simple “gj” can mean a lot. Too many people focus things going wrong. Positive reinforcement works much better than negative reinforcement, expecially when it comes from others. It also just makes the game more enjoyable.

One of the hardest things to do is to work with irritable people on your team. They point out every negative thing happening, insult everyone on their team, and never blame themselves. Their criticism is never constructive. There are several ways to deal with these people.

- Side with them. This is the worst thing you can do, but it is what you will see most people doing. They try and avoid being criticized themselves by siding with the bully, becoming their toady of sorts. This just makes matters worse and makes achieving the win more difficult.

- Ignore them. This is probably the best option if you’re the one being attacked. Don’t feed the troll, don’t reply to them. Try and remember that they’re a bully that is in a bad mood. They probably just want attention. If the cold shoulder isn’t getting your message across, block them; they’re probably not going to say anything constructive anyway.

- Defend your teammates. Everyone has been attacked online by their own teammates, and everyone can relate to how bad they can make one feel. At first, you can start by trying to compliment the victim on something they did right. This will make them feel better, and it might make the bully see that they are a useful asset. If the attack continues, it’s never a bad idea to try and tell them its okay, and that they can easily come back from whatever mishap triggered the jerk’s attack.

If nothing is working, turn the tides on the bully, but not by insulting them. It’s never a good idea to insult the bully. By doing this you are stooping to his or her level, which is just going to lead to an argument and make you feel more upset. Ask the aggressor if they think their statements are helping the team win. Remind them that they’re playing on a team, and the people they’re insulting are their teammates.

People on your team will probably join in and back you up, making them the odd man out instead of the target. While this can sometimes lead to the bully acting childish by going AFK or refusing to cooperate, it might make him shut up or change his attitude about how the game is going. Don’t let the bully’s negativity snowball, it will lead to a loss more than anything else.

There are a ton of other things that can cause frustration within a game. Someone might be AFK, feeding, not ganking for you, or building some terrible build. It’s important to take a deep breath and remember that they’re humans and calmly offer them constructive criticism. If they take it the wrong way, just lay off. They’re probably just as frustrated with their mistakes as you are, and it’s easy to take it the wrong way in that state.

If you find your frustration is coming more from your own mistakes, just remember to take deep breathes. Remember that you’re playing a video game, and that it is supposed to entertain you and facilitate your fun. Never take your frustration out on your teammates; it’ll just lead to more losses and frustrations. When you do something good, take a second to mentally celebrate. Focus on getting better at League rather than winning games; you’ll find you’re winning more and enjoying the game a lot more. Learn from your mistakes, don’t get frustrated from them.

Here are some other quick tips that can help keep your frustration at bay:

Take a 5 minute break. This can do wonders, and you won’t be away from the game for that long.

Go for a walk outside. Fresh air and a bit of exercise can take your mind off things.

Listen to music.

Talk to a friend on Skype or a similar program. Venting your frustrations to a friend, whether you’re in a duo queue with them or not, can go a long way. It can keep you from taking it out on your teammates. Just make sure that you don’t go overboard with your whining.

Watch TV, a movie, or some funny videos for a longer break. These things can really help you get your mind off things before you return for another game.

Switch your desktop to a calming image. Whether it’s a nature picture, a picture of your family, a funny comic, or a picture of you and your friends laughing, it can help to take a second after a bad game to look at the calming image.

Get a stress-reliever for your gaming area. There are a ton of things you can buy at the store that help with stress: desktop fountains, candles, a stress ball, or even something personal like a picture or an action figure.

Write down what’s making you angry. Seeing what’s making you mad on paper, as well as the act of physically writing it out, can trivialize the negative things going on. Writing down your mistakes can also make you a better player.

Eat a banana. I’m serious. It boosts your energy. Some other magic stress relief foods are nuts, brown rice, ginger tea, and blueberries. Plus, they’re healthier food than most stereotypical gamer snacks.

Remember that you’re playing a game. Video games are supposed to be fun, right?... Right?

Try your best to try and keep a positive attitude within your games, and to try help your teammates maintain theirs. It not only leads to more wins, but it also makes League of Legends much more enjoyable.