There comes a time in every gamer’s life when they simply plateau. They were improving all the time and then they hit a ceiling. Does that mean they just reached their peak and that is as good as they will ever be?
If you are finding yourself in a similar situation, you are likely asking the same question. Is there a way to get better?
The answer, of course, is yes. There is always a way to be better at anything. It simply means thinking outside the box and trying some new things. Though better technology does help your gaming, it isn’t the only thing.
Gaming is challenging so to meet that challenge and increase your skills, you’ll need to follow this guide. Hopefully, you find some of these tips helpful and you can take your game to another level.
1 – Practice, practice, practice
Pick a game that you want to master and play it every chance you get. If it is a game that you play regularly already, then just keep at it.
If it is a game you’re already playing then find things to focus on. Go buy a LoL smurf account if you are playing League of Legends for instance so you don’t ruin your credentials on your main account.
Identify your weakness in the game so you can focus on improving the mechanics of that aspect. Instead of trying to improve overall, just work on one or two techniques over the course of your game.
An analogy would be the great NBAer Larry Bird. Every day he would practice one thing after the official practice was over. For instance, he would take hundreds of shots falling away behind the net over the foul line. In other words, he practiced a shot he was unlikely to ever need in a game. Until one day when he was falling away over the foul line behind the net. He had practiced it enough that the shot went over the backboard and into the net.
Do this and when that one aspect of your game becomes a habit, find another weakness to work on.
2 – Try other games in the genre
You may need to take on certain skills that won’t be worked on if you stay on just that one game. Find another similar game that will help you think outside the box and work on skills that can be applied to your main game.
It’s almost like cross-training so you can work on muscles that don’t ordinarily get much action.
One thing that is certain to improve is your reflexes. When you get used to one game, then you can react in your sleep. With a new game, you need to be quick because you don’t know what to expect.
This will help you keep your coordination at a high level.
3 – Play with better players
You love your group of gaming buddies. They have been with you through thick and thin. The only problem is that your game is stagnating with them.
You’ll need to befriend some players that are better than you and your friends so you can one day play with them. Take note of who is dominating the game and afterwards, ask them if they want to play with you sometime.
Most will likely say no if they see that you are not on the same level, but some will say yes.
Ask them questions when you play without being annoying. Get a little information at a time and absorb everything. Take these small lessons with you to your game and improve a little at a time.
If they get aggravated at your mistakes, don’t get defensive. See how you can learn from the experience and listen to what they say.
4 – Find a community
Look around for some forums or on reddit for people who are passionate about the same game you are having trouble improving. There you will be part of a community of players who are looking to prop each other up and help everybody get better.
Make sure to take part in the discussions and not just be looking to be spoon fed information. If you are a part of the community then you will learn far more than if you are a lurker just trying to poach information.
Find ways that you can help others, too. There will be people who are not as good as you on those forums that could use some help. When you become a valuable member of the community then people will be looking to help you out too. You may find a group to play with that will really help your game improve.
5 – Record your games
Just like athletes that watch game tapes to see their performance and learn from, you should be recording your games.
During the game you are focused and may not notice habits that are developing that are ruining your game. When you watch it later, some of these things you do will jump out at you. Then next time you are playing you can avoid doing those bad habits.
6 – Watch competitions
Seeing the best of the best at a tournament or championship will give you some great insights into how the elite do things.
Take notes on some of the little things they do that you don’t. Yes, literally write things down so you don’t forget. When you see how they handle certain situations, you can get some great ideas on how to do the same thing yourself.
Conclusion
It takes time and dedication, but if you really want to get better, you will. Just make sure you follow this guide and really take on these tips. And think of some other ways, too. You may have just needed a change in perspective to see a different approach.
Learn to love the process of learning and you can also use this guide to improve many other areas of your life.