[dannnyds]

Been trying to ladder more and get better but around 80% of the games i play i get really nervous/anxious (at times to the point of getting a bit shakey) and start to forget things like what I'm doing/going to do, basic strats, parts of my builds etc. Has anyone been through this before and have any tips on how to stop being like this? its getting to the point where i just don't even want to consider laddering.

[WakingLife]

Ive been there before many many times especially whenever i just got into a new league and was vsing substancially better players. The only way i overcame nerves and anxiety whilst playing was mainly 2 things, your mindset and perseverance. Just think of ladder points as nothing, that you can throw them away and not care, think of your opponent as some other random nerd not some super computer that can outthink and out play you and constantly remind yourself that this is a game and that it is meant to be fun. Other than that just grind through alot of games and that nervousness will disappear

Quick Comments

	PiG:
	dazaris:

[Maynarde]

Hey man, good first step you've taken is to ask the forum. First of all, a lot of people have this problem and it's something that can be overcome in time.

Basically, the nerves / anxiousness is most likely due to your inner competitor and the need to win. There a couple of ways to go about this. You can either take the game less seriously (which is easier said than done) or you can just play the game until it goes away.

Sure you feel like it's too stressful to ladder right now, but it will pass I promise You start to get used to the maps / strategies / etc. Don't worry about your placement. Don't worry about your shiny league icon colour and how high you are in it. If you're too stressed over those details then you need to disregard it, because wherever you get placed remember:

If you play the game enough, and enjoy it, you will continue to improve %100 guaranteed.

Also there are plenty of in game channels to join with sc2sea boys and girls (i.e. "sc2sea" or "1v1") who more often than not are more than willing to help you out with your play and mindset. Including myself.

Hope this gave you some food for thought mate, gl hf

Quick Comments

	dannnyds:	+1 for insight
	PiG:	Listen to this dude, ignore his avatar :P
	SkyBreaker:	Excellent points. Far too smart for someone from SA, I suspect something suspicious here!
	TAhackdZ:	The hair is very misleading...But he's right.

[dannnyds]

The rank and points don't meany anything to me, i threw all my placement games on the NA servers to get into bronze and i still get nervous even there. I just hate the fact that i "stop thinking" or have rather literally a derrrrrrrrrrrp moment or 10 and end up loosing. If i do win (which i have) its mainly because i've either had a proxy rax somewhere and used it with all my scv's to do an all in, or my opponent had teched up to the max and not made units, or my opponent had made almost nothing.

edit: i LOVE the single player though.... SUCH AN EPIC STORY AND GAMEPLAY!

[PiG]

Yeah I remember I used to get like this. I think I always found the more I could make myself play and the more I could focus like what wakinglife said on just not overrating your opponents the calmer I would be.

I used to do some martial arts and I guess the mindset you learn their about perfecting technique and absolutely controlling your body really helped. With that in mind even when facing off with an opponent and parrying blows or throwing blows of your own you are more calm using perfectly controlled moves that you have practiced and focusing on your own actions and critiquing them calmly while reacting to your opponents moves.

After I started thinking about it more like that then it became alot easier to just focus calmly on how I was playing the game.

I guess what I'm trying to say and something I follow in all aspects of my life is that your mind is your own. Any emotions and feelings you have come from a certain place which doesn't have control over you. Ultimately you control your own mind and through perseverance and strength of will you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Self belief and fath are the most powerful tools you have. Use them well mr dannnnyds.

Quick Comments

	dannnyds:
	xGKingdelete:
	ToRDolo:	Wise words from sensei PiG!! Made me check my own mindset/attitude as it's been getting poor recently!

[Doctor]

@dannyds i'm dealing the same problem as you , and i've search the internet for solution.. i found some solution , i hope it will help you.

This is the link for dealing with anxiety (Liquipedia) :
http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft...g_with_anxiety

And after knowing how to deal with your own anxiety , the proper way to set a mindset and improve , try checking this link , hope it will help you too.

Link for How to Improve (Liquipedia) :
http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/How_to_Improve

Quick Comments

dannnyds:

[PiG]

Originally Posted by dannnyds

The rank and points don't meany anything to me, i threw all my placement games on the NA servers to get into bronze and i still get nervous even there. I just hate the fact that i "stop thinking" or have rather literally a derrrrrrrrrrrp moment or 10 and end up loosing. If i do win (which i have) its mainly because i've either had a proxy rax somewhere and used it with all my scv's to do an all in, or my opponent had teched up to the max and not made units, or my opponent had made almost nothing.

edit: i LOVE the single player though.... SUCH AN EPIC STORY AND GAMEPLAY!

Well coaching can always help you but some basic steps would be to watch some streams of high level macro terran players and try to emulate their play. I would recommend Strelok.

More importantly stop proxy raxing and start playing macro style. Learn to macro really well and once you have your mechanics mastered you should be in gold or platinum. Once you learn how to macro start scouting to tell if your opponent is being greedy or not and punish them accordingly. If you can do both of those you will see a huge improvement.

I would recomend subscribing to TGM if you have'nt already for a constantly updated guide with a huge amount of relevant information you can work through at your own pace.

[dannnyds]

Originally Posted by PiG

Yeah I remember I used to get like this. I think I always found the more I could make myself play and the more I could focus like what wakinglife said on just not overrating your opponents the calmer I would be.

I used to do some martial arts and I guess the mindset you learn their about perfecting technique and absolutely controlling your body really helped. With that in mind even when facing off with an opponent and parrying blows or throwing blows of your own you are more calm using perfectly controlled moves that you have practiced and focusing on your own actions and critiquing them calmly while reacting to your opponents moves.

After I started thinking about it more like that then it became alot easier to just focus calmly on how I was playing the game.

I guess what I'm trying to say and something I follow in all aspects of my life is that your mind is your own. Any emotions and feelings you have come from a certain place which doesn't have control over you. Ultimately you control your own mind and through perseverance and strength of will you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Self belief and fath are the most powerful tools you have. Use them well mr dannnnyds.

I've done Taekwondo for ~10 years and am perfectly comfortable with any kind of opponent there, which makes this double weird for me. And as far as the confidence thing goes i have ~0 (not very confidant person, usually pretty quiet).

Originally Posted by Doctor

@dannyds i'm dealing the same problem as you , and i've search the internet for solution.. i found some solution , i hope it will help you.

This is the link for dealing with anxiety (Liquipedia) :
http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft...g_with_anxiety

And after knowing how to deal with your own anxiety , the proper way to set a mindset and improve , try checking this link , hope it will help you too.

Link for How to Improve (Liquipedia) :
http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/How_to_Improve

Thanks for the links, will go through them when i get home.

Thanks for the tips and kind words all

[Satu]

When you've first begun playing starcraft, or are at least kinda new and don't know how to handle ladder, you should feel that way. Pretty much everyone does. I won't go into detail, I'll just give you the most useful link and quote I've seen on this topic.

The link a teamliquid thread.

The quote is from someone who replied to the OP: "I was afraid of playing ladder in the start of WC3 too, because I liked pretty records and wanted to improve. A loss would somehow be an illustration that I wasn't improving. I did kinda get over that. I'd like to tell you that there were some mind tricks for me to do so. There wasn't. It only got better as I played more games, despite the nervousness. Tough it out, if you can and want, and good luck & HF!"

The poster's username is grubby, he is the WC3 legend.

Just remember, everyone had to go through the ladder fear, even the pro players.

(Yes, I've been saving this reference for a thread like this ^_^)

[dannnyds]

I think apart from the nerves my other main problem is i fail at macro/don't know how to do it all that well and then i end up with a malnourished side that is highly susceptible to le smash.

[Doctor]

Originally Posted by dannnyds

I think apart from the nerves my other main problem is i fail at macro/don't know how to do it all that well and then i end up with a malnourished side that is highly susceptible to le smash.

Do you also feel like not building ur Build Order the way you wanted ?

[dannnyds]

Originally Posted by Doctor

Do you also feel like not building ur Build Order the way you wanted ?

OMG YES!... dude don't read my mind between 4 and 5pm, that's dannnyds's private time (anyone get the reference?)

[Maynarde]

Originally Posted by dannnyds

OMG YES!... dude don't read my mind between 4 and 5pm, that's dannnyds's private time (anyone get the reference?)

Groundskeeper Willie from a Simpsons Halloween episode!

*swish* 2 points.

Quick Comments

dannnyds:

[Doctor]

Originally Posted by dannnyds

OMG YES!... dude don't read my mind between 4 and 5pm, that's dannnyds's private time (anyone get the reference?)

hahaha , because i'm feeling the same man..
the answer u can find in the link i gave you

[PantlessPete]

Ignore the win or loss, focus instead on something you want to achieve. Something simple like "I will have full saturation on my main and natural without ever stopping SCV production" or "I won't get supply blocked"

For me it is often "I will have infestors out and upgrades on the way by X time" Regardless of what harass is being thrown at me, I must have them out on time!

Quick Comments

	dannnyds:	hmm never thought of that
	nirvAnA:

[LennX]

My way of dealing with it is to ladder expecting to lose every single game. Somehow it is working for me.
But GPD/CO are way more stressful for me somehow =/

[ke_ivan]

lulz, i'm there too, especially when i haven't played in a long time or don't want to lose points. like LennX said, I have to forget that games matter (since I'm in bronze) and play to improve. So when I first start off, I always tell myself play "your best, but you're gonna lose." the most impt thing for me is that even if i lose a game, i don't tilt. If i start tilting, i'll stop, watch some replays, and try to understand my mistakes.

I've also experienced shakiness after i win a particularly long game, especially after i haven't played in a while. after that i have to calm down a little and wait for that feeling to go away.

Quick Comments

dannnyds:

The shakes after a win are the good shakes

[Bash]

just keep laddering heaps, i went through that, until my mate hit plat and i was still silver, then i HAD to catch up.
Competitiveness>Nervousnesss ^_^

[SkyBreaker]

Definitely agree with Maynarde's post (as usual, he's stealing my ideas, I swear!) as well as that TL link re: anxiety while playing SCII.

I still get massive amounts of anxiety/nerves when playing, but my goal is to overcome that with simply re-searching after each game and getting straight back into the fray!

[Cordance]

Music will almost always help change your mood might take you a while to get the right kind of music that helps you be less stressed after a while of playing you wont need the music any more. If you find your getting stressed again for another reason you can go back to it.

Quick Comments

	Maynarde:	So true, your favourite music helps ALOT.
	dannnyds: