whats the point of it all ?

[oso]

I have hit a depressing area with go. I love the game very much. I wish I could get strong enough to become a professional player. But since that is not happening I feel like the only option left is to enjoy the game as an amateur. This is nice, but in terms of what I'm going to do with my life, not nearly satisfying enough! I feel like if I can't make a living playing go, then there isn't much left.

It is very frustrating. How do you cope with this?

[amnal]

I have hit a depressing area with go. I love the game very much. I wish I could get strong enough to become a professional player. But since that is not happening I feel like the only option left is to enjoy the game as an amateur. This is nice, but in terms of what I'm going to do with my life, not nearly satisfying enough! I feel like if I can't make a living playing go, then there isn't much left.

It is very frustrating. How do you cope with this?

You're setting yourself up rather too well for the standard snarky comments. Like 'what's wrong with being an amateur', 'Rome wasn't built in a day', 'do you enjoy nothing at all that you can't make a living from' etc. etc.

Seriously, what's the problem with not being the best in the world at an activity. If your enjoyment of the activity is based solely upon a realistic intention to be the best, then okay, you've got a problem, but this is not a very normal value function.

[Sverre]

I have hit a depressing area with go. I love the game very much. I wish I could get strong enough to become a professional player. But since that is not happening I feel like the only option left is to enjoy the game as an amateur. This is nice, but in terms of what I'm going to do with my life, not nearly satisfying enough! I feel like if I can't make a living playing go, then there isn't much left.

It is very frustrating. How do you cope with this?

I have a sense of perspective, there are other things in life that are worth enjoying besides go.

[Li Kao]

I never even considered becoming pro.

In a sport you need to be one of the best to make decent money whereas in a normal job being good is enough. I'm a good programmer but I'm surely not top 5 in my country. On the other hand even as a top 5 player of my country I wouldn't make any decent money with go. And even if you become pro, there is the constant stress of winning, and as a low level pro you don't make much money either.

In addition I can't image putting that much effort into go. I'd burn out and hate the game much earlier than coming near pro level. If I think how much time a local EGF 4d put into go, and even he is so far away from having a chance of becoming pro. I rather like having go as just a hobby helping me relax from university or a job.

While of course I want to improve, realistically I won't ever get into the high amateur dans. Something like KGS 3 or 4 dan might be possible if I don't quite before getting there.

[Monadology]

It is very frustrating. How do you cope with this?

Invest yourself in something else. If you've already given up on becoming a pro, it won't hurt to start exploring and spend less time on Go. You're probably still young and there are plenty of other interesting things in the world. After my second year of not getting into grad schools, that's what I did. For one thing, I found Go. It won't help me make a living, but I'm looking at other options in that respect too. I haven't given up on grad school yet either, though. And being a 9 kyu, unless you have been stuck at that rank for a while, I think it's probably premature for you to give up on Go as well.

That's the best suggestion I can give. Asking strangers on the internet these sorts of questions is probably going to give poor results. It's definitely something you're going to need to work through, probably with the help of someone you're close to.

[Laman]

question: how old are you?
- under 15 (the younger the better): keep working, you will probably not make it to pro level, but you can be a very strong amateur, even earning money with go eventually (though not as a full time job). and you have probably enough free time, so you can do what you want
- other (i guess this is the case): forget about becoming a pro, it would be miracle to succeed at it. you will have to do also something else than go in your life. once you accept this, there is no problem to devote your free time to go if you enjoy it. being strong amateur is also quite satisfying

i am sure you can still move from 9k reasonably long way up, i think i've read that you don't need any special talent to make it to shodan.
give yourself more achievable goals - i am right now trying to get to 1d EGF, then i will want to qualify for Czech Championship and then i don't know, most likely some higher dan grades and international qualifications, nothing is terribly far from the previous step

besides these advices, i can understand you. every day i regret that i hadn't meet go earlier so i could be stronger and when i hear a silly joke and start laughing against my will, i remind myself that i won't ever by strong enough to become a pro and laughing stops

[Joaz Banbeck]

What is the point of it all? Contrary to common understanding, it is not to beat the other guy, nor is it to get the highest rating that you can.

The contest is not you vs someone else, it is you vs you.

Your opponent is not there to prevent you from learning, rather he is there to prevent false learning.

[CnP]

What is the point of anything?

For me, personally, there is no point. We should just do things because we like doing them.

edit: oh and in case you do, I'd stop watching HnG on youtube

[Dusk Eagle]

You seemed to be in such a fervor to improve, and now that you've hit a hard patch you're getting depressed about it. You can't scale a mountain in a single leap. Try slowing down and setting more achievable goals - goals that will take work but that you can probably achieve. Set them a couple kyu levels (or even just one) ahead of where you are, and then you may find it's easier to feel good about your progress.

[SpongeBob]

Think about this: Would you still enjoy Go if you would be a pro? If you would have to play Go every day? If your well being would depend upon your victories against your opponents?

[oso]

*ahem*

Sorry. I have cyclothemic disorder, which is a form of bipolar. Usually when I'm in my characteristic "lows" I pull stuff like this.

I'm actually working towards a valuable career with wal-mart, so ignore the stupid post i just made.

[Bantari]

I have hit a depressing area with go. I love the game very much. I wish I could get strong enough to become a professional player. But since that is not happening I feel like the only option left is to enjoy the game as an amateur. This is nice, but in terms of what I'm going to do with my life, not nearly satisfying enough! I feel like if I can't make a living playing go, then there isn't much left.

It is very frustrating. How do you cope with this?

Well, to be blunt - there is no point to it, other than having fun.
This is why we all play Go, even the pros, although this is just a guess.

If you stop having fun, go do something else.

There is so many frustrating things in life - if your hobby starts frustrating you to the point you feel the need to seek help/advice from strangers, its time to change the hobby. There is absolutely no point in playing Go if this is how you feel.

Just my opinion, but I stand by it!

PS>
By the way - this is a primary example of what i have been talking about so many times: the rank chasing (or, in this case, the status chasing, or whatever.) If your main purpose for playing Go is to chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, there is no point to it - you will either reach the pot at some potin (become pro, reach certain rank, etc) or you will realize it is too hard for you - and then the whole point of playing Go will start to disappear for you. This is why the best way to enjoy the game is not to worry about such things but just play game after game and derive as much fun out of each game as you possibly can! yeah, baby, yeah!...

[oso]

*AHEM*

SEE MY PREVIOUS POST.

[Bantari]

*AHEM*

SEE MY PREVIOUS POST.

Oh, I see.
Note to self: read the whole thread before answering a post.
But then - what's the fun in that?!? Anybody actually does that?

Still, I think what i said was wise, educational, moralizing, soap-boxy, and overall valuable contribution to this esteemed forum. Yes! lol....

[mic]

This is why the best way to enjoy the game is not to worry about such things but just play game after game and derive as much fun out of each game as you possibly can! yeah, baby, yeah!...

Small problem, at least for me: That's way easier written (or even read) than done Any tips?


Michael