Esports coach Mia Stellberg on how to control emotions in esports

Emotions can be distractions in Esports.

If you can’t control your emotions, not only will this create unnecessary stress, it also negatively impacts your ability to focus, which leads to underperforming. This potentially leads to more emotions, and we're off!

 Let's take a step back from the brink. As humans, we have a tendency to generalize our feelings, applying emotion to situations that could be solved logically. The key is understanding the difference between emotional and rational thinking, plus focusing on the right things to achieve a clear, focused mind.

Professional gamers estimate the mental factors of gameplay affect the final outcome by 50 percent to 80 percent. Thus, skilled gamers are also skilled at managing their emotions.Practicing regulating emotions can seriously up your game as it offers a better sense of control, allowing you to stay focused on what matters most.

Esports: Technique to regulate your emotions

Too often, gamers focus on the task itself instead of execution, making them vulnerable to failure. Focusing on what is happening now and what to do next should be the only things to think about while playing. When we are focused, there are no obstacles in our way, no emotions cluttering our decision-making. Better focus, ultimately, means better decision-making and faster reactions -- skills all gamers want.

When you regulate your emotions, you essentially build a shield, protecting yourself from possible stress factors and enhancing performance -- you are in the zone! The longer you can stay in the zone, maintaining a stable mood, the longer you will perform well. To stay in the zone, you must ignore outside distractions such as who's watching, how others might react to the outcome or thinking "what happens if I make a mistake?" Allowing such thoughts in leads only to a lack of focus and diminished performance.

In order to stay focused throughout the game, it's essential to make mental training a focus. Let me share a technique with you that I recommend as a warmup before a gaming session. This exercise allows thoughts, fears and worries to be put into context and processed before play starts.

Ready?

I want to you to create a mental image of how it** (what exactly is "it"?)** will feel, how it will look, how it will sound etc. Now, say your expectations out loud. Sit with those for a few moments. Next, I want you to share your concerns and insecurities.

Now it's time to answer this important question: “How would you like to feel?" The answer might be "I would like to feel confident when I’m walking on stage," or "I would like to be focused when I’m playing the game." Great! Now, you must practice manifesting those images and feelings.

A good gamer knows how to influence and adjust their emotions to improve their mood and ultimately their game.

Mia has become a legend in pro gaming for her pioneering work as a psychologist and the many titles she has helped teams win. Among her achievements, winning the Major with Astralis CS:GO team, and helping Dota 2 Team OG become the first-ever repeat TI champions. She also has coached teams to reach titles in League of Legends and mobile games. She also works with many Olympians and others in pro sports. A graduate of the University of Helsinki, she lives in Finland.