1/ This is terrible advice. Why in a thread: https://twitter.com/JakeSucky/status/1290359915886702592

2/ There are people that love esports so much they'll put everything into it, 24/7, 365. That is reality, and in some cases, that's the nature competition. But being able to put that much time into an unproven industry is an incredible privilege.

3/ People able to invest that much time often find their capabilities increase rapidly. Not b/c they were preternaturally talented, but because doing something a lot tends to make anyone good at that thing. This is then held up as an example, earning your stripes, etc.

4/ Grinding is seen as a positive trait b/c it seems so universally attainable. You can't have insane mechanics, but you can play/work SO MUCH that you become attainable. That's a myth, and it's destructive for many reasons.

5/ First, the mentality that everyone should grind in esports filters out a tremendous population who can't afford to do that. Why would you limit your talent pool only to those who have unlimited time? That's an insanely bad/unethical business practice.

6/ Second, BURNOUT. Uzi is 23 years old. Think about that. He's like, what, the second best player in the history of LoL? I know he had an injury, but his injury was 1000000% created/exasperated by overuse. Killing the golden goose.

7/ Third, even for those can grind, it is a toxic mentality. This is an amazing industry & it's growing so fast, there's serious FOMO. But as cool as it is, esports is not the be all end all. You will miss out on big picture stuff if you're 100% esports all the time.

8/ I know that many industries are championed by leaders that did the grind, who lived and breathed their companies and achieved great things. Those with talent and the capacity to work insanely hard tend to make it. But that's not the only way.

9/ People talk about how hard MJ worked to become the GOAT. Do they talk how much golf he played DURING THE SEASON. Or that he took a year off to pursue a passion project. What about Serena, another GOAT who won 23 slams while becoming a mom and fashion icon.

10/10 So yes, talent + grind leads to success. But I firmly believe that talent + responsible/effective working habits contribute to longer-term success and a more fulfilling life.

Okay, a couple things I forgot: 1) this also plays into impostor syndrome. I've had it. You might have too. I used to watch every single LCK match just so I could say that I did. Nobody cared. Now I don't b/c I'm not a freaking LCK expert, and I'm okay with that.

Second, companies will take advantage of your willing to work and pay you crap wages. Screw them.