09/09/2022
Tough times never last, tough people do.
12 years in Esports
DOTA 1 Shoutcaster > Graphic Designer >Marketing Officer > Esports Consultant > Executive Director > Event Organizer > Co-founder and CEO
Exactly 12 years ago, my decision to pursue a career in gaming was perceived as a mistake by my peers and the people around me who didn't see the same potential that I saw in this industry. That sentiment still exists today for some crazy reason despite the facts, the statistics and the multiple stories of how gaming has changed the lives of a number of people. Buying this Lamborghini right here wasn't an easy decision but in the end, I decided to do so because of one main reason. This car will serve as my reminder of how far I've come since I started this journey, as well as a visual representation of how I overcame the challenges in my career for more than a decade.
They say "doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will" and I can't help but agree. If people still doubt what is in front of them today, imagine how people felt about Esports 12 years ago. The doubts, the haters, the negativity, and everything that came with the perception that playing video games is nothing but a waste of time was a stigma that I thought would never go away up until gamers prove otherwise.
Looking back at my 12 year journey, I can't help but be reminded of the reason why I chose to take the road less traveled. The reason was simple. I wanted to work as much as I could so that the future generation of gamers in this part of the world won't have to experience what gamers like me went through during the early days. I wanted to help build a sustainable industry capable of bringing the opportunities only available in other parts of the world.
1 supercar, 5 jobs, 12 years, hundreds of mistakes, and thousands of games after...
My pursuit of that dream to happen continues to be a work in progress. As someone who has worn multiple hats and has gone through multiple challenges in this industry, allow me to share with all of you the 12 lessons of my past 12 years in this industry so that those who want to take the same path might learn a thing or two from my personal experience.
1. Passion alone is not enough
-Passion is a good start but you need to be able to acquire skills, knowledge or anything for that matter that will bring value to your client, your audience, your company, your partners or whoever you have a working relationship with. Passion without real business value is more fit for your hobby than your career.
2. Hard work beats talent
-As cliche as this may sound, hard work is the common denominator of most if not all the success stories you'll ever encounter in your lifetime. Working hard is not an option, it's a requirement.
3. Focus
-There are a million great and bad ideas, opportunities and distractions that will run in your head throughout your journey. Focus on things that align with your goals and direction in life. This mindset is what separates the great from the good.
4. Mistakes and failures are part of the journey
-Mistakes and failures are bound to happen. If you're not failing or making mistakes then that means you're not growing. Don't beat yourself up or worse give up when you encounter these things. What matters in the end is to be able to allow yourself to learn from those mistakes and equip yourself with the learnings that will help lessen the chance of those things to ever happen again.
5. Let go and move forward
-Whether it's a win or a loss in life, some get stuck feeling high or low if they don't know how to let go and move forward. I truly believe that one needs to be able to move on to the next chapter of their careers when they need to without dwelling too much on the past in order for them to get to where they want to be. Letting go is an art one needs to master if you want to succeed as losses are inevitable and with it comes the resilience to push yourself when the going gets tough. This also means knowing when to fight and when to back down. Not all battles have to be won today, some you can win later when you're better equipped to do so.
6. Ideate, Plan, Execute, Adjust, Rinse, Repeat.
-Believe it or not, this is what progress is all about. The continous cycle of juggling these 6 actions and deciding what to do in any given moment is in my opinion the secret to turning your ideas into reality. Some get stuck in planning, some get stuck in failed implementation, but those who truly want their dreams to become a reality will always find a way for things to happen or at least move forward.
7. Create Allies not Enemies
-Self-interest is an undeniable truth of how human beings are built. My take is that those who are able to balance their self-interest and understand the importance of the best interest of others create allies while those who are only focused on their gains tend to create enemies. Don't get me wrong, winning often comes with a cost, and competition will always breed its fair share of "enemies" along the way, but as long as you're only competitive in business and not in your personal life, then all is well. No amount of wins can replace your peace of mind knowing that you tried your best to be fair to those around you including your competition.
8. If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together
-This is a popular saying that really resonated with me ever since I read it. I firmly believe that I wouldn't have been able to get to where I am today without the people who were a part of my journey. The same goes for you: find your Nakama.
9. Tell yourself what you're willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals
-Dreaming high is always good but your potential to succeed is only equivalent to the amount of sacrifice you are willing to do to get somewhere in life. One way or another you'll have to sacrifice something in order to achieve something significant in life.
10. Gratitude is free
Always find the extra time to let those who are important to you know how they made an impact in your life. Gratitude is free but genuine gratitude is priceless, share it with as much people as possible. This will have a huge effect in your life.
11. Enjoy the ride
I truly believe that every person's life is a never ending S curve: there will always be highs and there will always be lows. Enjoy the highs and surround yourself with the right people on the lows, this is usually what determines your next step for each milestone in your life. Be reminded that what makes the whole journey fulfilling is those who are with you in those moments and beyond the wins and the losses, never forget what's really important to you. Always find the extra time to let those who are important to you know how they made an impact in your life.
12. Live in the moment.
Looking at the future means learning from the past and living in the present. Forward thinking should not prevent you from enjoying the present to its fullest. If you're truly about the process and have surrounded yourself with the right people, I truly believe that each and every moment that you'll go through in the journey that you picked is a story you'll be sharing to the people that matter to you when all is said and done. Staying present is probably one of the hardest lessons you'll ever learn especially when a lot is going on in your life but it is one of the most important ones as well, because what's the point of getting to the destination if you missed out on every memorable experience you could've enjoyed throughout the journey.
If you got to this point, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to finish everything I wrote. I just really felt obliged to write all this to serve as a lesson to all those who want to embark in their journey or are going through something in the middle of their journey. Let this post be a reminder to those who are dreaming that nothing is impossible. Dream big, aim high, help others and break the code of life.
Let me end with the quote of Winston Churchill,
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts"
Kung umabot ka dito type mo Tough times never last, tough people do. Have a great weekend!
