Mental Strategy

Mental Strategy:

Title: Thinking Confidently

    In anything that happens in life, if you are confident about what you have done; you will have a good chance of getting a good score, good result or a good opinionation. In Starcraft, this same rule of thumb comes to mind. If you are not confident that you will win the game of Starcraft, 9 out of 10 times you probably won't win. Confidence is a mental aspect which can improve your plays, or make weaker plays seem stronger. This strategy(#92, BTW) will detail in the art of Confident thinking. However, as (Strategy #93) will demonstrate, there is a difference between Confident and Cocky.

    Let's take a simple example. Your about to take a mathematics exam in Analysis 1,2 AP and you studied for 6 hours about each of the individualized topics detailed in Analysis. You know the stuff and your confident that you are going to ACE that exam. The neighbor to you is cramming all of the information he thinks he needs to know in at the last moment. Would he feel very confident about success on the Exam? Probably Not. It doesn't require rocket science in this example. Who has the A+? Who has the F? The same exact theory can occur in the game of Starcraft; except it's not about the future of your life; it's the future of your gameplay in Starcraft that is truly at stake. When you are doing all of your pre-game thoughts, analyzation of the maps, and all of the other necessary stuff to win.(1 person out of 7,000,000 do this.) =) You need to remain confident in your thoughts. Calm yourself, Calm yourself, Keep your game plan simple at the start and expand it into the times when your more confident. It's just a game right?

    Is Starcraft a metaphor for life? This might seem off topic but it does have to do with confidence. In life, if your not confident and shy(like myself) you may miss opportunities in life that could of been yours for the grasping if you would of just spoke your mind and your opinion. Personally, I feel confident with myself but I am shy. The same type of comparison can be seen when your playing the game of Starcraft. If you watch, and read some of the battle reports located here, and others written by Blizzard; you'll notice that in different situations people might have made the wrong move. It's called "Nervousness", don't do it! That's the result; hurried plays and usually you'll be putting yourself in a hole that is difficult to climb out of. Starcraft is a game, yes. What it is teaching you though, is something special.(strategy #94.) =)

    So, as I have said above if you remain confident throughout the game your plays will be better. However, a common question would have to be "How do I gain Confidence?" Confidence can be earned in several ways. The most basic way however, is to win a game or two in Starcraft to get you into the groove. Once you win these games you'll think that you may actually have some skill in this game, and you may be able to win a couple of games. The second way, is involved mentally. The powers of thought; the power of inspiration; the powers of words. Those three phrases are basically stating the just of what i'm getting at. What your doing is thinking positively, this power will inspire you to play the game. The final set "the powers of words", is what you'll see at the end of the game or throughout the game as you speak to your opponent. The third most common way, is a strange way. "Meditation", yes, meditation can give you confidence. This is all because you will have relaxed all of your thoughts, your moves will be able to be confidentally recorded when you play the game of Starcraft.

    In conclusion, now you have the power of Confidence on your side. Go win some games of Starcraft!

-SpaceDominator(10/5/99)