Becoming Mythic isn’t about reaching a rank on MTG Arena. It’s about demanding - and delivering - the very best from yourself. Everyday.
With more and more players jamming the ladder on MTG Arena, the monthly grind to Mythic and Top 1200 rankings has become pay dirt for a lot of us.
But what if you thought of Mythic as more than some ranking on a gaming platform – and what if you could make it a status that never reset?
What if you could become Mythic without actually reaching that rank in Arena?
What type of a player would that approach make you?
Simply put, The Mythic Mindset is all about transforming your approach to Magic: The Gathering and developing your gameplay skills – so that you can crush your biggest goals in the game and constantly improve.
Who is The Mythic Mindset for?
Competitive players of all experience levels
Casual players
Beginners
Players wholly committed to improvement
This site is dedicated to the growth and development of Magic: The Gathering players of all experience levels - as players and as people. Even casual players will find something on The Mythic Mindset that will help them enhance their overall enjoyment of the game. You’ll also find that the mindset strategies I share are super applicable to other areas of your life.
Ultimately, if you’re committed to excellence and becoming a better player every day, then The Mythic Mindset is for you.
The Content: Much More Than Mindset
Competitive Magic: the Gathering is just that - a competitive game that demands your absolute best in order to win matches and reach the highest levels of play. Doing so requires you to be adept in four primary focus areas:
Technically: Gameplay decisions and sideboarding decisions.
Strategically: Deck selection, deck construction, drafting, sideboard strategies, preparation and testing.
Mentally: How you control (or don’t control) your thoughts and beliefs - before, during, in between and after your matches.
Socially: Who you playtest with, their impact on your progress and vice versa. How you interact with your opponents and your community. Your personal conduct at the tournament tables and your attitude behind the screen.
Developing your skills in these areas isn’t easy, and it doesn’t happen overnight. But if you can master #3, it gets A LOT easier to strengthen your abilities in the remaining three focus areas. While The Mythic Mindset primarily includes posts to help you reach mastery in focus area #3, you’ll also find several articles covering technical gameplay skills and strategic areas of the game.
You’ll find some deck tech articles, but…
Keep in mind that The Mythic Mindset isn’t intended to be a deck index that houses deck lists, sideboard guides and tournament results. Here in the Magic community we’re fortunate to have access to a wealth of sites that serve that purpose - and I definitely recommend utilizing those resources alongside the content you find here.
So, while you will find some deck tech articles for lists I’m currently playing, the content you find here is more focused on helping you understand the “whys” of MTG, and less on the “whats.”
Content is driven through the following channels:
Articles - in-depth explorations of specific topics and strategies.
The Grind Journal - day-to-day gameplay experiences and lessons learned. The Grind Journal illustrates various elements within the four primary focus areas as I document my journey to The Players Tour.
MYTHIC VALUES
Values are the guideposts that drive how we think and behave in all aspects of life. The articles you find on The Mythic Mindset are driven by the following core values.
Positivity. It’s the first key to success in all areas of your life, and an absolute must if you want to reach your goals in MTG. It’s OK if you’re not super outgoing, but you should strive to focus on what’s good, be more interactive and avoid negativity at all costs.
Inclusion & Diversity. Regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation, all players are welcome here. Discrimination and prejudice of any kind are unconditionally not. Celebrate and value the differences in each other. Speak up when you see or hear discriminatory and hateful behavior, and don’t allow it in your life.
Honesty. Be honest with yourself, your opponents and judges. State the truth about game actions, strictly adhere to the rules of the game at all times and speak up whenever you experience potential or actual cheating.
Additionally, be honest about your skill levels so that you can grow as a player, and give yourself proper credit for your strengths and achievements.
Respect. Towards your opponents and towards yourself. Respect players of all experience levels. Insults and condescending talk - whether directed at other players or at yourself - are the antithesis of what it means to be Mythic. Strive to be respectful at all costs.
Perspective. The ability to see the big picture. Understanding that regardless of the outcome of one game, one match or one tournament, more opportunities for success are ahead. Remember that as competitive as Magic may be, there is so much more to life than this game.
Follow-through. Stay committed to your goals and do whatever it takes to achieve them. Cross the finish line.
Focus. There’s an old saying in MTG - “focus on what matters the most.” Apply this principle to your approach to the game and to all other areas of your life.
Accountability. Take responsibility for your wins and losses, and always search for improvement opportunities - even in the games you win. Recognize when you did something well.
Gratitude. Be grateful for the opportunity to play the best game ever created, to live life and to pursue happiness. Gratitude is rocket fuel for your mission towards higher achievements in MTG, and towards any other life goals.
Fun. Yeah, strive to play beyond your best, but always aim to make MTG fun - even when you’re playing in the Top 8 of a PT.
ABOUT THE WRITER
My name is Jeff Sheerin, and I’m an aspiring MTG pro and future Players Tour/Mythic Invitational participant. Though I originally picked up Magic in 1994, I began playing competitively in 2017 and haven’t looked back since.
I'm a huge advocate for strengthening and leveraging the power of the mind to improve your well-being, increase your impact on others and to achieve your highest goals - including your goals in Magic: The Gathering.
I’ve previously written articles for MTG Pro Tutor, and I’m excited to continue writing about the game I’ve loved for more than 25 years.
