Your mindset determines your mood and the way you perceive reality, or Frame. Needless to say, a positive mindset cultivates success in both game and life.
Do you see the glass half empty, or half full? Asked by millions, this is a question as old as cups, which I imagine were invented a long time ago. Many have pondered over the “correct” answer. Most will tell you that if one answers “half full,” then the person is optimistic, and that if one says “half empty,” then the person is pessimistic. I disagree with both. Here’s the answer I prefer:
The glass is completely full, just not entirely of water—it’s half full of water and half full or air.
We want to be positive all the time*; it’s just good for everyone. What kind of positive should we be though? Much debate surrounds this question, too. Some argue that we should be excited, turning social anxiety into an energized mood, making decisions on the fly without thinking; others argue that we should be as calm and relaxed as possible, approaching every interaction with a clear head, taking our sweet time to make choices.
Each options has its benefits. When we are excited, we naturally put off a fun vibe that attracts others like wildfire; being excited also prevents us from overthinking things. On the other hand, being calm allows us to analyze our situation and make decisions accordingly. I more-often-than-not choose to be calm; I enjoy being clear headed and in control of myself to the greatest extent that I can.
To get into an excited mood, make a playlist of your most energetic music—dance, pop, rock, whatever you are into. Title it, “going out.” Listen to the playlist on your way to your gaming venue; dance and sing all you want—get into the mood for fun.
To get into a relaxed mood, make a playlist of your most chill music. Listen to the playlist while drinking green tea or hot cocoa before go out. Trust me, it works like a charm.
Note—Under no circumstances should one ever drink alcohol while in a social interaction. Drinking increases your reaction time, lowers frontal lobe function (decision-making and filtering), and makes you smell like trash. Do not drink when you are gaming. To make this choice easier, I decided never to drink—I have no need for it; I like water and tea and soda just fine.
*You should not, obviously, be positive all the time. There exist many scenarios in which you should be sad or mad or otherwise negative; maybe someone hits you or spills a drink on you, maybe your cat dies, maybe who-knows. What I’m saying is, be positive by default, but don’t be fake.