I have been playing computer games since I was five. My first game was GTA, released in 2001, which was then something like what Fortnite is today, only offline and much less social. Over time, I grew up and became interested in games that require strategic thinking: World of Warcraft, Battlefield, and Call of Duty. The only game I played professionally (and participated in tournaments) was Counter-Strike.
Games for me have never been a way to build a career, but I still play: it gives me an emotional boost and excites brain activity.
In ordinary life, I never noticed such cleverness and such excitement that happens in e-sports competitions.
I am now 23 years old, I work as a senior analyst in a company that works with data and explores the blockchain ecosystem for investment firms and corporate clients. And, I must admit, part of my achievements in both ordinary and professional life is closely related to the mental skills that I acquired by playing Counter-Strike.
Competitive games have helped me become more able-bodied and made me better overall - and there are five reasons for this.
Translated to Alconost
Photos - Anthony Brolin , Unsplash Playground
Team play
Games
In competitive games, the main thing is good and honest teamwork. In eSports competitions, it's important to understand your teammates, know how they feel, and play together to achieve one goal. In games you can choose: either you are good on their own, or great in the team.
To succeed and assemble an excellent team, you need to get to know each other well - through communication, debate, common victories and overcoming difficulties.
Real life.
The work is partly similar to the game, so if you want the greatest success, the only way to achieve it is with the help of teammates.For me, the main priority was to get to know my colleagues deeper and learn to understand them. Thanks to this, I gained their trust much faster, it became easier for me to share my thoughts and participate in complex projects.
Photos - Mario Gogh , Unsplash Playground
Work in stress
Games
In games, emotions beat over the edge: sometimes they are pleasant (if you win), sometimes the opposite (if you win). In competitions, the second opportunity is not given: losing a match, you leave the tournament - and understanding this is very crushing. However, you need to remain calm and remember that you have a chance to win and go further.
Real life
The same applies to our daily lives, including work. Sometimes everything goes well, you manage to prove yourself, and they slap you on the shoulder, congratulating you on your success. But it happens the other way around: nothing happens, and you feel like a failure. Constant difficulties at work are familiar to many. The ability to work under mental pressure for days is a valuable skill that I have acquired in games.
Keep calm and stay in the game!
The ability to think quickly and make decisions instantly
Games
Time in games is one of the most valuable resources. A round in the game Counter-Strike lasts less than two minutes (1:55), and during this time many unpredictable events manage to happen. In a competitive game, the ability to quickly process information and respond instantly is very important. Not everyone will be able to catch the enemy by surprise by applying quick analytical thinking, so the ability to make decisions quickly and confidently is a sign of a good player.
Real life
In ordinary life, it is full of unpredictable variables that are uncontrollable. Willingness to act quickly and instantly to find a solution to a particular problem or to react correctly to a specific event is a valuable skill that will come in handy everywhere: not only at work, but also in everyday life.
Creative thinking: think like an adversary (or as a client)
Games
In competitive games, you reason like this: “If I were in the opponent’s place, what would I expect now?” You try to predict the opponent’s next move and try to catch him by surprise. The ability to predict other people's actions is an important skill: so you can do something unexpected, which ultimately leads to victory.
Real life
Many employers often look for candidates who are capable of thinking outside the box, and value people who can find creative solutions to complex problems. Creativity is a unique human trait that robots cannot copy. It is she who helps to find a much more exciting, fast and reliable way from conditional point A to conditional point B.
The opportunity to distract
The player naturally has a way to disconnect from the rest of the world. In my opinion, this is one of the most important needs, and everyone should have the opportunity to satisfy her: “recharge” and not move off the coils. Too often I have seen others literally go crazy because of long hours at work, excessive load, and an endless queue of emails. Games for me are a simple and useful way to disconnect from the world for an hour or two and forget about all the problems.
About the translator
The article was translated by Alconost.
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