At the time I write this, I am exactly one and a half hours away from receiving the results for my degree, on which I have worked long and hard for the last four years. A good grade will make me a highly employable graduate from a good business school with the whole world in front of him. A bad grade could effectively mean four years wasted. If you are looking for someone who is on the edge, you have just found him.

There is a theory that some of our greatest achievements in life are motivated by fear. What impetus do you have to get a better job when you already have one? If you don’t fear failure, how great can the motivation ever be for success? It isn’t uncommon to see professional sportspeople lose some edge after a few seasons of earning the big bucks. They’re set for life regardless of how they play, so why should they work as hard?

When I won $10K Indianapolis, I had the fear. For those of you unaware, flights to Indianapolis from the other side of the world cost a lot of money, and if I had done pretty much any worse than winning the $10K after scrubbing out of the first Pro Circuit, I would have been out more money than I could reasonably afford. Adrenalin can do some wonderful things sometimes. As anyone that has seen Batman Begins can attest (don’t worry, no spoilers coming), conquering and harnessing fear is a powerful way to improve as a player. There is a tricky balance to be reached, though. If you’re overcome by fear of an opponent or a situation, you will be of no use to anybody. If you have become fearless to the point of distorting reality, though, then it’s easy to lose focus on the smallest elements of the game.

There have been games where I have sat opposite opponents who claimed that they could not possibly win. Assuming that they’re being genuine (rather than trying to lull you into a false sense of security), you can probably assume that you’re in good shape. People with the same record as you who feel like a big dog in a matchup are creating a self fulfilling prophecy. If they win, then they were wrong in their prediction. If they lose, then they lost the game. These are the sorts of lose/lose scenarios that aren’t a great deal of fun. Do no be one of those people.

There are also games where one plays somebody so confident of his or her ability or matchup superiority that, were one to believe the talk on the other side of the board, the match must be a foregone conclusion. Sometimes this will be bluster or mind games in an attempt to put the fear into you. Sometimes this talk will be more for your opponent’s own benefit than anything else as that person attempts to get into a positive frame of mind for the game. The problem with this sort of confidence is that it is easier than most to shake. Personally, nothing gives me more resolve than my opponent spoiling to have the wind knocked from his or her sails. I wouldn’t advise you ever to walk into a game thinking that you cannot lose. I have seen too many sports movies ever to back favorites anymore.

If you want to harness the fear and remain in control of it, then I would personally always err on the side of caution. Assume that your opponents at any tournament are better than you and practice accordingly with the best people that you can find. Learn matchups and key interactions. Fear of the unknown should never be allowed to hunt you down at a tournament. Maintain that respect of your opponent’s abilities, though. The fire in the belly that comes from valuing every win and the fear of the acid sting of defeat will heighten your senses. The adrenalin will keep you sharp and focused, allowing your preparation to come through.

In Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inaugural address in 1933 during the middle of the great depression, he stated that there was “nothing to fear but fear itself.” Clearly the man had never seen a mime, but we’ll let that go. He had a good point. Fear is not your master, it is your fuel. Take it and use it to achieve greatness.

Have fun and be lucky.

Tim “Literally Just Leaving the Door to Pick up His Results” Willoughby

timwilloughby (at) hotmail (dot) com