Begin with the end in mind

Covey said that. I sometimes use the analogy of my former mentor and boss, Mr Yan. Lets say the needle and threads (he started out as a tailor and educated to primary 6) are your starting point and each of you are given the same start up representing your technical training. And the end is a multi million dollar business empire. What would it take to reach there? What would you have to learn? What must you not lose on the way?

In chess, it may not be possible for all of you to have the same technical backup at the starting line. Some will have a head start if they have strong technical assistance from the get go. But at some point this evens out. There isnt that much technical. It's not quantum physics. When the technical evens out, that is really the beginning of your journey, not the end, as some will tell you.

That last 100 points to that GM can be like climbing Everest. If we can get some honest evaluation from our IM's, we will have a clue of what it will really take, more specifically, on a personal level.

From MCF's perspective, they will need to assess what kind of support the players really need to make that climb. And then they have to get that type of support. I suggest they initiate proper postmortems as a starting point. Dont be afraid of constructive criticism. Instead, be afraid that you are irrelevant or worse, an impediment to our players who fight so hard. Be afraid that you may kill off their fighting spirit because they have been sent to fight again and again without proper preparation, training or support.

It really does take a team, a good team to achieve all these. So stop looking only to yourself and your individual inadequacies. Start looking for your role in the scheme of things and play that role.

And stop pointing the finger, whinning and complaining because you need someone to blame for your failure. Look to yourself and do something. Try learning instead of making excuses. Or else keep quiet. Do no harm.