Journeys and Passions

"I will always remember those words: 'believe in yourself'."
Sean Plott

Sean "Day[9]" Plott's #100 online video deviated from his educational analysis of Starcraft gaming and instead told the story of how the PC game Starcraft, his mother and brother had shaped his life.  In this touching, 2 hour autobiography, he had highlighted his beginning encounters of the video game and his dedication to and appreciation for Starcraft. 

I myself encountered Starcraft in 1998 and instantly fell in love with the RTS game.  The science fiction based game had no limit to strategy, especially when played online against the mass of online players.  For the years I've played the game, my mother would constantly criticize the time I had spent on the computer.  Regardless of my mothers constant nagging, I continued to play the game until she was familiar with the game herself.  From then on, I had been a fan and Starcraft gamer.

Only recently did I stumble upon Sean Plott's Starcraft replay analysis.  His infectious personality made viewing his 40 min dailies seemingly short and refreshingly informative.  One day browsing his archives, I found his #100 video which highlighted his struggles and successes with Starcraft.  For as long as I remember, I had been bombarded with criticisms of playing video games from parents and friends -- Sean Plott's journey with Starcraft broke all the stereotypes.

Mr. Plott tells the story of his climb to the highest tiers of Starcraft gaming ranging from participating in qualifying tournaments in the US to international tournaments.  His dedication to practice and fine tuning his strategy were only supplements to his drive towards success -- the loving support from his mother and brother pushing him to levels once thought to be impossible.  The foundation of his success was his passion for Starcraft and his family inspired his pursuit towards success.  The majority of his story was dedicated to his mother and brother's unquestionable support.  When he had been stressed, his brother gave him encouraging words to push on.  When he shared his enthusiasm for Starcraft, his mother listened. 

I had once believed that success was coupled with a respectable occupation, but Sean changed my perception forever.  Determining the worth of a path should not be measured by others, but only by those who walk the path.  His story reminded me of the book Siddhartha which also highlighted the importance of believing in one's self and to weigh the worth of one's path by one's self. 

Thank you Sean,

Dan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJztfsXKcPQ