Though what we may see at the end of a match may be a “Victory” or “Defeat”, to truly improve you need to go beyond that. A loss in a ranked game doesn’t mean you are bad as a player in the same way that a win doesn’t mean you’re better than anyone else.
Though what we may see at the end of a match may be a “Victory” or “Defeat”, to truly improve you need to go beyond that. A loss in a ranked game doesn’t mean you suck as a player in the same way that a win doesn’t mean you’re better than anyone else. Improvement takes a commitment to yourself and a respect for your opponents, and today, I’m going to outline some ways to assist you in that journey towards improvement.
But don’t just listen to me, listen to who is by far the best player in the world talk about this same idea.
Sure, the bragging rights are great, but when throwing everything behind in an attempt to secure a temporary victory, tunnel vision can become much more prominent. You may be ignoring the spot that you constantly keep missing at, or the place where you constantly get killed. You may have not been practicing your new Viper line-ups because you were busy attempting to get another W under your belt. Despite the rank points on the line, what’s really at stake if you lose? It could be argued that as long as you learned a beneficial strategy, was that even a loss?
As a player, it’s important to recognize that sometimes losing doesn’t actually equate to a true loss. If you lost a match while learning something new, you now have access to that new strategy in future games. Learning that losses are only temporary and your growth as a player is more long term is a very important concept to grasp and will lead to further success along the way.
Similarly to what I said in the last section, find out what you need to work on. Do you keep missing headshots? Do you need work on your positioning? Think about why you lose gunfights and apply that to your practice. This requires a lot of self-reflection which can be tough for a lot of people. It can be difficult to put your personal “ego” aside to find out what is truly inhibiting your play, but on the path to improvement, reflection is one of the most important (if not the most important) parts.
Focus on what you feel like you struggle with and don’t be afraid to use the other modes that aren’t “as competitive”. Deathmatch is a great place for focusing on gunplay, with short matches that can get you warmed up, and in the groove with certain weapons. Unrated is an excellent place to work on positioning and those new techniques you’ve been learning. Whether it be lineups or new spots to plant, unrated is there for a reason, and players should take advantage of it to reap the rewards.
The VALORANT AimLab Combine is a definitely solid way to work on those problem points through drills that have an application in game. With headshot practice drills, to pushing through one-to-one recreations of in game maps, AimLab has been a large contributing factor to a large amount of player success and improvement.
Practice makes perfect, but don’t practice too hard. Remember that just like in any activity, learning is a process that takes time. Practice to a point you feel comfortable so you don’t become fatigued or burnt out. Practicing for more hours a day won’t necessarily mean you’ll become a better player. Focused practicing is what makes you better. It all comes back to the tried and true adage of, “quality over quantity”. Someone who puts in 4 hours of focused and practical practice will be in a better spot than someone who just plays the game and kind of practices for 8 hours.
What’s important is that you don’t push yourself too hard as a player. Remember to focus on your mental state in tandem with your play. Keep yourself healthy while practicing so that you can have a better chance at success and improvement.
Burnout creeps up and affects us all as players, and sometimes we just don’t want to play the game for a while. If you ever feel like that, know that it’s okay to take breaks. Listen to what your body needs and come back so that you can have a better performance when trying to improve.
There’s a reason why sports psychologists are hired in esports, and it’s because just like in real sports, burnout, anxiety, and other issues that can affect the mental state are just as prevalent in gaming even at the hobbyist level. Know that it’s okay to not be practicing 14 hours a day, and that as long as you’re using your time effectively, you’re doing well.
Improvement at VALORANT isn’t the most linear path and is different for everyone. Each player has their own needs in-game, so no two players are exactly the same in their path to the top. It’s important to note that while the feeling of winning is great, it isn’t exactly the best indicator of improvement as causation does not equal correlation. Losing can be just as, if not more beneficial than winning and success can mean different things for different people, so don’t get too caught up in the numbers and wins and losses.
Reflection is important when it comes to improving and though it can be a tough ask for a lot of people, finding out why certain things happen the way they do can be extremely beneficial. Using third-party software to improve like AimLab also exists to assist with improvement, so don’t be afraid to use them! They’re there to help you.
Lastly, remember not to over-do your practice. Remember that though practice makes perfect, it’s all about quality over quantity. Focus on your mental health while making you practice the best it can be.
