The Individual Game has commenced, and you are in the middle of a problem you can’t solve. Your palms get sweaty, and a headache is about to pop up. At this point, you are about to quit the Game because your confidence is at its lowest.
There are times when you are going to come across obstacles that are hard to overcome. But you can’t quit at your first try, or the second, or the third. The best way to keep your confidence up is to understand that what you are doing is for your development, and Development Takes Time!
The National Cyber League (NCL) offers many options to communicate with Player Ambassadors or players to assist you when you are stuck, such as the Slack community, your school NCL club, Cyber Skyline, and the CryptoKait blog.
These channels serve you with your confidence in the Game, your skills, and yourself. No one starts with a boost. We have all been beginners at some point. The desperation to succeed rapidly can cloud our judgment and lower our self-esteem when we think we failed.
The following are tips to keep your confidence up when you are stuck:
- Take a long deep breath.
- Pause what you are doing and take a break. Sometimes this can help you come back with a fresh mind.
- Reach out to the Slack community. Ambassadors are there, ready to assist you with your needs.
- Talk to other players. Most of the time, they are willing to guide you in the right direction.
- Don’t be afraid to skip a problem. If you can’t solve it, move on. Come back to it at the end. You may surprise yourself.
- Don’t expect the answer to the problems. Guidance is key. If you expect to get the solution to the questions, it will only affect your development and most likely violate the NCL Rules of Conduct. Remember, you learn by doing, not by cheating yourself.
These tips not only apply to the NCL Games, but your life. Don’t let obstacles rule you. Instead, be ready to fight your way to the top. Live your life with your head up, and take advantage of the resources available.
The biggest tip I can give you is that you are the captain of your life, path, and journey. Hold that wheel nice and tight, and get ready for a bumpy ride. Say to yourself, “I’m the captain now.”
-ZeroTrail
CryptoKait 