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Overcoming the ‘But I’m Unique’ Mentality in Chess Improvement

That Federer has a coach doesn't mean everybody needs one.
Athletes:
Julius Yego, Javelin world champion watched YT videos.
Rodney Mullen, Tony Hawk - self taught and best skateboarders in history
Killian Jornet - probably the best runner who ever walked the planet (multiple records climbing mountains too) self taught
David Goggins - Toughest man on earth
Some authors
Mark Twain, Hemmingway.

Some inventors/scientists
The Wright Brothers (invented the airplane)
Nicola Tesla
Edison
Watt
Melanie Klein - Self taught inventor of children's psychology
Leonardo DaVinci
Galileo

And the list goes on.

Naming successful people who had a coach doesn't proof anything. Naming successful people who didn't need a coach at least proves that not everybody needs one.

Btw.
I ran at a young age a 2:48 marathon. I got a professional coach. Within a year a fell out of love with running, because everything s*cked. I had to lose weight, lose more weight. Was constant sick, and didn't enjoy a single training. It took me almost a decade to get back in.

That Federer has a coach doesn't mean everybody needs one. Athletes: Julius Yego, Javelin world champion watched YT videos. Rodney Mullen, Tony Hawk - self taught and best skateboarders in history Killian Jornet - probably the best runner who ever walked the planet (multiple records climbing mountains too) self taught David Goggins - Toughest man on earth Some authors Mark Twain, Hemmingway. Some inventors/scientists The Wright Brothers (invented the airplane) Nicola Tesla Edison Watt Melanie Klein - Self taught inventor of children's psychology Leonardo DaVinci Galileo And the list goes on. Naming successful people who had a coach doesn't proof anything. Naming successful people who didn't need a coach at least proves that not everybody needs one. Btw. I ran at a young age a 2:48 marathon. I got a professional coach. Within a year a fell out of love with running, because everything s*cked. I had to lose weight, lose more weight. Was constant sick, and didn't enjoy a single training. It took me almost a decade to get back in.

@Wesz808 said in #2:

That Federer has a coach doesn't mean everybody needs one.
Athletes:
Julius Yego, Javelin world champion watched YT videos.
Rodney Mullen, Tony Hawk - self taught and best skateboarders in history
Killian Jornet - probably the best runner who ever walked the planet (multiple records climbing mountains too) self taught
David Goggins - Toughest man on earth
Some authors
Mark Twain, Hemmingway.

Some inventors/scientists
The Wright Brothers (invented the airplane)
Nicola Tesla
Edison
Watt
Melanie Klein - Self taught inventor of children's psychology
Leonardo DaVinci
Galileo

And the list goes on.

Naming successful people who had a coach doesn't proof anything. Naming successful people who didn't need a coach at least proves that not everybody needs one.

Btw.
I ran at a young age a 2:48 marathon. I got a professional coach. Within a year a fell out of love with running, because everything s*cked. I had to lose weight, lose more weight. Was constant sick, and didn't enjoy a single training. It took me almost a decade to get back in.
The difference is what you want out of chess. If you want to get better, most people can benefit of of a coach. If you just want to have fun, often a coach can take that away. I will say, though, your experience was bad because you had a bad coach. A good coach will push you to get better while respecting your boundaries.

@Wesz808 said in #2: > That Federer has a coach doesn't mean everybody needs one. > Athletes: > Julius Yego, Javelin world champion watched YT videos. > Rodney Mullen, Tony Hawk - self taught and best skateboarders in history > Killian Jornet - probably the best runner who ever walked the planet (multiple records climbing mountains too) self taught > David Goggins - Toughest man on earth > Some authors > Mark Twain, Hemmingway. > > Some inventors/scientists > The Wright Brothers (invented the airplane) > Nicola Tesla > Edison > Watt > Melanie Klein - Self taught inventor of children's psychology > Leonardo DaVinci > Galileo > > And the list goes on. > > Naming successful people who had a coach doesn't proof anything. Naming successful people who didn't need a coach at least proves that not everybody needs one. > > Btw. > I ran at a young age a 2:48 marathon. I got a professional coach. Within a year a fell out of love with running, because everything s*cked. I had to lose weight, lose more weight. Was constant sick, and didn't enjoy a single training. It took me almost a decade to get back in. The difference is what you want out of chess. If you want to get better, most people can benefit of of a coach. If you just want to have fun, often a coach can take that away. I will say, though, your experience was bad because you had a bad coach. A good coach will push you to get better while respecting your boundaries.

@boochin said in #3:

The difference is what you want out of chess. If you want to get better, most people can benefit of of a coach. If you just want to have fun, often a coach can take that away. I will say, though, your experience was bad because you had a bad coach. A good coach will push you to get better while respecting your boundaries.

My coach trained over a dozen Olympic athletes. Some have multiple gold medals. He even got prizes for being a great coach. Two things. Nobody knows the athletes he failed/ruined (like me and hundreds (!!!) others). And the other thing is, a lot of people can get really good on their own. (See the list I posted) I wanted to be the best and did everything he said. It ruined me.
Personally I think the best way to get really good at something is to create an environment with people with similar interests and 'coach' each other. It's what all these people on the list have in common.

I know some really good athletes who simply didn't make it to the top of the top because of the coaching and the obsession to get better. But moreover, a lot of people lose interest in their sports because of 'failing', far more than who reach the top. But you don't see them on tv of course.
For example my brother was part of a team who studied female gymnastics. The amount of kids with mental and physical problems because of coaching was insane. The coaches were called 'success coaches' because of the few that made it to the top.
Years ago he did a study with similar results concerning talented kids in classical music. "Play this a billion times until it's good enough!"

Pretty sure you don't get injured playing chess. But I think we share the opinion that coaches can be a really bad thing as well a good thing.
Here's the fun part. I'm technically a coach myself although I consider myself more a mentor helping people with their questions when it comes to long distance running. In those sessions I almost always say: "Do what feels good for you!"
But even with adults who want to run a marathon in x amount of time, I feel like they already lost their joy in the sport. And people who want to have a x elo rating are probably not different.

I heard Gotham Chess saying something like the following. "Today I'm playing kids who learned one system and every line in it a billion times. Because that's the modern way to get good in chess " And then I'm reminded of the talented musicians, the gymnasts and me, running on the track every day, counting every calorie I ate because the coach said so.

@boochin said in #3: > The difference is what you want out of chess. If you want to get better, most people can benefit of of a coach. If you just want to have fun, often a coach can take that away. I will say, though, your experience was bad because you had a bad coach. A good coach will push you to get better while respecting your boundaries. My coach trained over a dozen Olympic athletes. Some have multiple gold medals. He even got prizes for being a great coach. Two things. Nobody knows the athletes he failed/ruined (like me and hundreds (!!!) others). And the other thing is, a lot of people can get really good on their own. (See the list I posted) I wanted to be the best and did everything he said. It ruined me. Personally I think the best way to get really good at something is to create an environment with people with similar interests and 'coach' each other. It's what all these people on the list have in common. I know some really good athletes who simply didn't make it to the top of the top because of the coaching and the obsession to get better. But moreover, a lot of people lose interest in their sports because of 'failing', far more than who reach the top. But you don't see them on tv of course. For example my brother was part of a team who studied female gymnastics. The amount of kids with mental and physical problems because of coaching was insane. The coaches were called 'success coaches' because of the few that made it to the top. Years ago he did a study with similar results concerning talented kids in classical music. "Play this a billion times until it's good enough!" Pretty sure you don't get injured playing chess. But I think we share the opinion that coaches can be a really bad thing as well a good thing. Here's the fun part. I'm technically a coach myself although I consider myself more a mentor helping people with their questions when it comes to long distance running. In those sessions I almost always say: "Do what feels good for you!" But even with adults who want to run a marathon in x amount of time, I feel like they already lost their joy in the sport. And people who want to have a x elo rating are probably not different. I heard Gotham Chess saying something like the following. "Today I'm playing kids who learned one system and every line in it a billion times. Because that's the modern way to get good in chess " And then I'm reminded of the talented musicians, the gymnasts and me, running on the track every day, counting every calorie I ate because the coach said so.

Gretzky and Bradman, two greatest dominating players in world sports, never had a coach.
Federer played without coach for several years even when he was number 1.
Ronaldinho didn't have any professional training either.

'There is someone behind success of every legend, but they need not be their coach'

Gretzky and Bradman, two greatest dominating players in world sports, never had a coach. Federer played without coach for several years even when he was number 1. Ronaldinho didn't have any professional training either. 'There is someone behind success of every legend, but they need not be their coach'

The comparison with physical sports is indeed rather weak. I think you better compare with school. Why do (did) we all go to school and not study safely at home everything. Wouldn't that be much cheaper anyway?

The comparison with physical sports is indeed rather weak. I think you better compare with school. Why do (did) we all go to school and not study safely at home everything. Wouldn't that be much cheaper anyway?

This is absurd, this can't apply to me because I'm unique

This is absurd, this can't apply to me because I'm unique

Ningun deporte se enseña en la universidad, todos empiezan solos, luego en el camino toman el servicio de un entrenador. El problema esta en que enseñar en grupo no es tener un entrenador, pues sus explicaciones no corrigen tus errores, solo son conocimientos generales lo cual no te ayuda, y los que han tenido entrenador y no han conseguido resultados, es porque tomaron un mal entrenador quizas llevados por algun titulo internacional, lo cual es un error ya que eso indica que es buen jugador mas no un buen entrenador. Para saber que estas con un buen entrenador, pidele los nombres de sus alumnos que han destacado con medallas de oro en campeonatos mundiales, panamericanos y torneos internacionales y luego habla con sus padres para verificar el tiempo que trabajo y los logros que obtuvo su hijo siendo su alumno, de lo contrario si no tiene esos resultados con alumnos , no lo contrates, ya que hara igual contigo, nunca lograras tus sueños.

Ningun deporte se enseña en la universidad, todos empiezan solos, luego en el camino toman el servicio de un entrenador. El problema esta en que enseñar en grupo no es tener un entrenador, pues sus explicaciones no corrigen tus errores, solo son conocimientos generales lo cual no te ayuda, y los que han tenido entrenador y no han conseguido resultados, es porque tomaron un mal entrenador quizas llevados por algun titulo internacional, lo cual es un error ya que eso indica que es buen jugador mas no un buen entrenador. Para saber que estas con un buen entrenador, pidele los nombres de sus alumnos que han destacado con medallas de oro en campeonatos mundiales, panamericanos y torneos internacionales y luego habla con sus padres para verificar el tiempo que trabajo y los logros que obtuvo su hijo siendo su alumno, de lo contrario si no tiene esos resultados con alumnos , no lo contrates, ya que hara igual contigo, nunca lograras tus sueños.

@Wesz808 said in #4:

My coach trained over a dozen Olympic athletes. Some have multiple gold medals. He even got prizes for being a great coach. Two things. Nobody knows the athletes he failed/ruined (like me and hundreds (!!!) others). And the other thing is, a lot of people can get really good on their own. (See the list I posted) I wanted to be the best and did everything he said. It ruined me.
Personally I think the best way to get really good at something is to create an environment with people with similar interests and 'coach' each other. It's what all these people on the list have in common.

I know some really good athletes who simply didn't make it to the top of the top because of the coaching and the obsession to get better. But moreover, a lot of people lose interest in their sports because of 'failing', far more than who reach the top. But you don't see them on tv of course.
For example my brother was part of a team who studied female gymnastics. The amount of kids with mental and physical problems because of coaching was insane. The coaches were called 'success coaches' because of the few that made it to the top.
Years ago he did a study with similar results concerning talented kids in classical music. "Play this a billion times until it's good enough!"

Pretty sure you don't get injured playing chess. But I think we share the opinion that coaches can be a really bad thing as well a good thing.
Here's the fun part. I'm technically a coach myself although I consider myself more a mentor helping people with their questions when it comes to long distance running. In those sessions I almost always say: "Do what feels good for you!"
But even with adults who want to run a marathon in x amount of time, I feel like they already lost their joy in the sport. And people who want to have a x elo rating are probably not different.

I heard Gotham Chess saying something like the following. "Today I'm playing kids who learned one system and every line in it a billion times. Because that's the modern way to get good in chess " And then I'm reminded of the talented musicians, the gymnasts and me, running on the track every day, counting every calorie I ate because the coach said so.

Hi Wesz808,

I think having a coach can actually help you improve, but you do need the right coach for you. Not the 'best' coach that got multiple gold medals, but the coach that can help you the best, without taking away the fun. It's not easy to find the right coach, but I believe that if you find the right coach, it can really boost your elo.

@Wesz808 said in #4: > My coach trained over a dozen Olympic athletes. Some have multiple gold medals. He even got prizes for being a great coach. Two things. Nobody knows the athletes he failed/ruined (like me and hundreds (!!!) others). And the other thing is, a lot of people can get really good on their own. (See the list I posted) I wanted to be the best and did everything he said. It ruined me. > Personally I think the best way to get really good at something is to create an environment with people with similar interests and 'coach' each other. It's what all these people on the list have in common. > > I know some really good athletes who simply didn't make it to the top of the top because of the coaching and the obsession to get better. But moreover, a lot of people lose interest in their sports because of 'failing', far more than who reach the top. But you don't see them on tv of course. > For example my brother was part of a team who studied female gymnastics. The amount of kids with mental and physical problems because of coaching was insane. The coaches were called 'success coaches' because of the few that made it to the top. > Years ago he did a study with similar results concerning talented kids in classical music. "Play this a billion times until it's good enough!" > > Pretty sure you don't get injured playing chess. But I think we share the opinion that coaches can be a really bad thing as well a good thing. > Here's the fun part. I'm technically a coach myself although I consider myself more a mentor helping people with their questions when it comes to long distance running. In those sessions I almost always say: "Do what feels good for you!" > But even with adults who want to run a marathon in x amount of time, I feel like they already lost their joy in the sport. And people who want to have a x elo rating are probably not different. > > I heard Gotham Chess saying something like the following. "Today I'm playing kids who learned one system and every line in it a billion times. Because that's the modern way to get good in chess " And then I'm reminded of the talented musicians, the gymnasts and me, running on the track every day, counting every calorie I ate because the coach said so. Hi Wesz808, I think having a coach can actually help you improve, but you do need the right coach for you. Not the 'best' coach that got multiple gold medals, but the coach that can help you the best, without taking away the fun. It's not easy to find the right coach, but I believe that if you find the right coach, it can really boost your elo.
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