Road to Positivity
Just a heads up, this post is a general rant of setting goals/following dreams, self reflection, self-improvement, and the road to be positive inside of League, as well as outside.
A little bit about me, I'm an avid league player who works full time and always looks forward to getting off of work and relaxing with my puppers and playing some league. I started out playing the original Dota on Warcraft, but once I discovered league I've never went back (well that is not entirely true, as I installed Dota 2, played one single game and quit. League really is one of a kind, it is the King of its genre). I started playing in Season 3 and have been dedicated ever since. I'm currently in Gold V, but plan on changing that as quickly as I can. :)
My Dogs-
Anyways, let's get on with it!
I'll start by saying I am a VERY positive person. 89.9899999399 % of the time I am in a good mood, the other 10.0100000601 I am only momentarily down, and I am very quickly back to being happy after only a few favorite songs (music is the best therapy for a bad mood).
Anyways, whilst pondering about my life recently I realized I was not happy. A little back story, ever since I was young I wanted to be a Programmer. I was so fascinated by the thought that 1's and 0's could be so beautiful, they could bring your imagination to life. Now, looking at my life, things have not gone the way I wished, although I know that life is like that. I'm working full time right now in a field I never expected, and although I'm not completely unhappy, I still desire to become a programmer, I am still drawn towards computer in a way I have never been drawn to a "job" before. So, long story short for this section, although I wish I could go back and start college right out of high school (Only 23, but still, could be graduated already), I've decided once I can get things in order, I'll start taking classes full time and following my dreams!
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I'm hoping one day I'll get the chance to intern for Riot, as it would be more than an honor to meet the people behind League, and I am setting Very high standards for myself for my grades and personal projects I'm working on, as this would be my American Dream. Even if not on League, I know Riot has other games and plans for the future, as looking forward has seemed to be a constant goal for them.
[slayer-pantheon-thumbs]
Now, how does this directly tie into League? Well, for starters, I always knew I would go into computers one way or another, however my path so far has not taken where I would have wished. I always imagined I would go into the computer field early and graduate early, and be one of those youngsters that had their degree young. Now like I said, things don't always go the way you want them to go, but the only constant I've really had over the years is League. Now comes the self reflecting. As I finished a game about a week ago, I sat there staring at the stats screen, wondering how I didn't end up like one of these guys, designing that very page I was looking at. That was when it hit me, I still wanted to go into computers, I had been suppressing the desire in order to feel better about my mistakes. Since then, every day at work has been filled with thoughts of it, of returning to that realm and I knew that I had to follow this desire. It is literally thanks to league I had this reflection and because of League I will study to become what I've always wanted to be. I had almost given up on what I wanted, but guys it is never too late to follow your dreams. Really, it isn't! Yes, I may be ~30 when I graduate (hopefully I can get on a fast track towards my Masters), but at least I will love what I do, it won't feel like a job anymore, I will work harder than I ever have, but I will enjoy every second of it.
http://modalpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/I-love-work.jpg
Realizing what I have to do, I know I need to change my attitude along with my current situation. As I stated I am a very upbeat fellow, but even in League, the game that has gotten me through a lot in my life, I can be an ass in game. I've ranted and muted and cussed a lot in this game, hell I've even ranted at Riot about how the game is broken or to do their jobs or that the punishment system sucks, but that was all misplaced anger. Riot is a great company and we as a community are very lucky to have them. League is a passionate game with which comes strong emotion, yet that is not reason enough to be a 
. I find the only times I am unhappy, is when I let myself get that way. I let myself spiral into a toxic mess (although mostly my comments are passive-aggressive/sarcastic I recognize it is still not helpful).
Good link from Jeremy "Gaming Curios" on being passive aggressive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w58ewqnN7mE
However, there really is no need to act this way. Being rude to someone else does not get you anywhere, in fact it makes it more likely that you will lose. I recognized that I complain about the community, yet I was adding to the problem. Now note, I do not troll, but I do get upset and say un-needed things to teammates. Recognizing that even adding 1.0% to the negative in game mood is still adding to it. I can be better, and I WILL BE!
How can you be a better person in game? For one, find a better way to criticize if you must. I find a lot of my games if I'm supporting and my adc is being a little too aggro, instead of saying "hey man, you doing great, but we should play a little safer until jg comes down," I'll say "Hey stop being aggro you are going to feed them if you are not careful." Note how the 2nd version could be slightly tilting to an ADC who is struggling.
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In fact, the last game I played, I played 
, and I was a little rude to my 
, I opted to say version 2 and it was not smart of me. After I told him to stop being aggro he then decided to troll because I was mean. Was he right to troll? Of course not, but neither was I for being uncompassionate, or just plain rude. I noted that I did not build him up when he was struggling, and instead made him on edge. Instead of subtly slamming each other, it is time we compliment and build each other up instead.
http://www.gamasutra.com/db_area/images/news/2013/Jan/184806/lol%20long.jpg
This is my Road to Positivity. I'm the nicest guy outside of League, why should that change when I get into a game? There is no reason. Now I'm not trying to compliment myself, being kind is literally my best quality, and I am very proud of it. I've been a jerk in the past and sometimes I wonder if any Rioters are Reformed players. That is a tangent thought, but to follow my dreams I need to not only be true to who I am, I need to treat others BETTER than they deserve. Maybe a better title for this forum would be "An Apology to the Community." Being nice is not hard, it is a mindset. I've fallen out of it, but I am going to do everything I can to show I can be a positive member of this community.
Now, it may not be much, but to try having a fresh start at League and my personal improvement, I am changing my Summoner Name. It will be a new beginning, a chance to prove to myself and others who I really am. No longer will I be "J Wilson" of NA, but in the interest of my future career, as well as to being a more helpful Summoner, I will be known as WilsonBytes. Also, in an effort to become a more decent dude, I will constantly ask myself, as well as look at the sign by my computer that says, "What would Riot do?"
To all you guys out there who feel like they can do better, I encourage you to try! Whether it is in game, or at school, or about your dreams, I hope you do all you can to be what you could be if only you would try. I know I will fail, mess up, struggle, but that does not mean I can't succeed.
Good Luck to you all on your Road to Positivity, and good luck chasing your Dreams. May Rito bless you.