What do I want to achieve?
Honestly, I want to make it to the pro tour. That's my goal. Does that meet SMART's criteria?
- It certainly is specific (I want to make a specific tournament)
- It is also measurable (I'll know I've achieved it when I play in the Pro Tour)
- It is not attainable - I'm not a good enough of a player to make the Pro Tour, most likely.
- It is timely - I could conceivably make a Pro Tour with a win at a PTQ
Ok, since I know I probably can't make the Pro Tour, why not? The reasons I come up with are going to become our new goals for the PTQ seasons - what we're going to try and do to make ourselves ready to be on a pro tour.
Problem: I play to quickly
- I play far to quickly. I need to slow down, think through my lines of play and make the most mathematical, strategic, and correct play.
- I find myself sitting at the table, shuffling my cards, and not actually doing any thinking. I need to be constantly thinking and running the game in my head.
- I also find myself, in an effort to play quickly, picking one line of play, and setting myself to that one line of play no matter how correct or incorrect..
So let's take our problem, playing to quickly, and make a SMART goal:
Goal: I want to sufficiently evaluate all lines of play at all times and make my play more sound.
Let's smart check this goal
- Specific: Evaluate all lines of play at all times? What does this really mean?
- Run through each possible scenario given my current hand, board state, and all other relevant factors.
- Take into account both what I have in hand, but what opponent could be holding and COULD DRAW INTO
- Measurable: How will I know when this goal is accomplished?
- When I begin to actually evaluate these plays. I feel like this goal will require the most honest self-assessment. Am I actually thinking about plays more or not?
- Attainable: Can I actually slow down and play more sound Magic?
- I sure hope so.
- Relevant: Is slowing my thoughts process down relevant?
- Yes.
- Timely: Is this something that can be accomplished this upcoming PTQ Season?
- I think I can make great headway these next final three weeks of the season
So that's my first goal of this upcoming PTQ Season. Honestly, that's the biggest one for me, and the others will be a little less detailed.......I think.
Goal: I want to play in at least 5 PTQ's this upcoming season
- Specific: 5 is quite the specific number
- Measurable: I'll know when I hit 5 PTQ's
- Attainable: This is the only one I'm unsure of. When the PTQ schedule comes out, you bet I'll be tracking the distance and the potential of being able to attend these events. I'm thinking four hours is appropriate for a PTQ - any more and you're probably just vomiting value.
- Relevant: Playing in PTQ's is important for grinders who want to be good.
- Timely: Depending on how many PTQ's are withing 4-5 hours this next coming PTQ season, yes, it is timely to make 5 in three months.
Goal: I want to become better at deck selection
What does this actually mean?
For PTQ's that aren't limited, you have to select a deck that you think is good for the meta-game. That means changing your deck potentially at the last minute. I want to be able to evaluate the meta-game and pick a deck that will conquer it.
- Specific: To improve at evaluate the meta-game and picking a suitable deck.
- Measurable: This goal is largely un-measurable and a pretty bad goal because of this. One can think they read the meta-game perfectly and just be completely wrong. However, beginning to ATTEMPT at reading the meta-game is important.
- Attainable: Players can't get PERFECT at evaluating the meta-game, but they can be good at it and make strong inferences.
- Relevant - Evaluating the meta-game certainly matters
- Timely - This is a career long skill. However, while I can't be perfect by the end of this PTQ season, I can become significantly better.
No comments:
Post a Comment