Motivation and enjoyment - how to keep focus in any game

One of the most important factors in order to learn and develop, well, any skill really is motivation. Another one is enjoyment. Keeping both these up at the same time as working towards a goal is not an easy task, but here are seven tips along the ways.

1. Make goals
The first step of completing something is knowing what you want to complete at all. Having goals makes it possible for you to know where you are heading. Remember to make goals that are SMART: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

Specific goals are needed for you to know what you want to achieve so it isn’t as diffuse.

Do: Get to Silver IV.
Don’t: Be a better player.

Measurable goals can be counted in sort of way. It’s meant to make you know when you have accomplished your goal.

Do: Get 200 supply by 10 minutes
Don’t: Build more units.

 

Achievable goals are realistic goals that you can see yourself achieving.

Do: Climb two ranks.
Don’t: Become rank 1.

Relevant goals are goals that will actually get you closer to where you want to be or goals that you actually want to achieve.

Do: Buy gear with more stamina.
Don’t: Buy gear that looks good but doesn’t have any effects.

Time bound goals are goals that have a limited time or a deadline. This is in order to push you to get them done and to make sure the goals are achieved and not just floating around for years and years.

Do: Get 100 kills before the week is over.
Don’t Get 100 kills.

2. Do not procrastinate
Procrastinate is all of our’s best friend and it’s easier said than done. However, there are things you can do in order to make it easier not to.

For one, you can always create a space around you where it is harder to procrastinate. Turn off the TV and put away your phone. Turn on music that makes you focused.

Then, set a timer at how long you think you can focus for. Don’t punish yourself! Set an amount of minutes you actually think you can focus for. If it’s two minutes then so be it! Then take a break and for each time you set the timer again increase the limit with one-two minutes.

3. Make a list
Another way not to procrastinate is to make a list of things you need to do or practise. Some research say that making a list makes it easier to get things done. Another way is by telling people what you are working with and telling them about your goals. Making a goal you are thinking about into something physical makes it easier to keep. It’s also due to the fact that telling other people makes it feel like more of a commitment.

4. Reward yourself when you follow through
It is easy to preach about SMART goals, procrastination and lists but fact is we are not robots. No matter how effective these three goals are, chances are you will tire when you start having losing streaks or when you’ve just tired from behaving like a robot. To keep your motivation up you need rewards. Big ones for big goals and small ones for smaller goals.

Small rewards can be a 15 minute break if you play for an hour straight. Bigger rewards are playing ARAMs for one day when you’ve reached gold league etc!

5. Do things that you enjoy and do not fight your feelings
This is another part of not being robots. If you do not enjoy playing this game it is almost impossible to have motivation unless you are payed. If you simple do not enjoy the game you will simple not feel enjoyment, relatively simple. If you are so tired of playing 1v1s in Starcraft then play around, have some fun. Do the things that you enjoy about the game and do not fight your feelings. There is not better way to lose motivation than to do things that you dislike.

It sounds like a really bad advice. “How to keep motivation and enjoyment” - do the things you enjoy, it will keep you motivated. But it really is as simple as that and we tend to forget it!

6. Stay positive
A positive attitude towards... anything really, will always help you stay happy. If you reach for a goal and you estimate it will take you an hour to complete it you have to realize that there’s no way to do this but just doing it… unless you want to give up. Your motivation is partially determined by your attitude so always staying positive will only help you on your way.

I know, do the things you enjoy but there’s also a fine line between pushing yourself and run yourself down!

Just think like this “When I am sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead” - Barney Stinson.

7. Note your progress
Sometimes we forget how well we have fought for something. Note your progress from time to time, sort of like a reward. When your motivation is low, look back at where you’ve been and remember where your progress has taken you. Think about the feeling of how impossible it felt getting to the next rank but that it wasn’t and you actually got there. That will make your next goal feel less unreachable.

 

Start by following one of these steps and work your way up and you will find that you become more effective while you stay motivated and have fun!