Path to Pro: Back in the Game
Before I write about my path to going pro, I have to introduce myself and how Magic affected my life, my career as a software engineer, and my ability to teach myself new skills.
My force of will
I started playing Magic with the seventh edition in the summer of 2001. I was really proud to get a foil Thorn Elemental in my first starter pack. I enjoyed playing Magic with my sister whenever we saw each other. I grew up in a poor, tough, and broken German family. Nevertheless, my childhood was very happy and beautiful.
I know about poor people all over the world. Compared to German families I was a poor child. Compared to the poorest people of the world, I was a very rich kid with the possibility to define my own path of success. That’s getting me down…
I have worked a few hours per week besides school since I was 14 years old. The complexity of Magic helped me to get to know my abilities. I discovered my ability and passion to create, understand, and analyze everything. Playing Magic helped me to trust myself. I taught myself how to develop software and how to play guitar when I was 16 years old. But I wasn’t that good at school. Most of the time I was bored with school topics.
I started playing Magic competitively in February 2002. I didn’t know the formats at first. I accidentally started playing Legacy. It took a few months until I finished my first deck — Mono-Red. A few months later I was very proud to play my own Jund Aggro Loam. I hadn’t learned in-depth strategies and techniques yet. I played my decks intuitively and won only a few games. But I learned strategy by watching others playing their decks.
No Magic for a couple of years
I started to work as a clerk in controlling departments — The most boring job of my life. I got a job as an apprentice in software-engineering in 2010. I wasn’t able to play Magic and earn money at the same time. I decided to stop playing Magic in 2012 and I focused on my career as a software engineer. But I took every chance to play Magic with my friends.
2018 was a very tough year for me. I became life-threateningly ill — diagnosis cancer. I faced private issues at the same time. I fell into a deep black hole, but fought my way back to life!
I discovered Magic: The Gathering Arena in December 2018. I was challenged with learning all the new cards, top-tier decks, and strategies. In July 2019 I started seriously playing and learned all about different types of decks, strategies, patterns, and methods.
Back in the game
Nowadays I’m a software engineer with over 10 years of experience and a co-owner of a gaming marketing company. I defeated cancer in April 2020 and I’m strong and healthy — even in times of COVID-19. And I’m able to play Magic in my spare time.
Now I’m ready to discover my new old passion of playing competitive Magic. I prepared a detailed plan to participate in future challenges. Furthermore, I built my own magic-player-brand. I teach myself advanced techniques and strategies for understanding and playing Magic, and brewing Magic Decks.
Next up
I’ll introduce every detail of my preparations, sources, disciplines, and my roadmap for my Path to Pro. I’ll write about daily rituals to stay physically and mentally healthy, as well as balancing my private life with work and Magic. And finally I’ll introduce my protection against burn out.
