Parallel Processing

So what does it take to be a top gamer? Here are the five most important aspects in my opinion. I don't rank them - they are all equally important to me.

Heavy Metål
Throughout my gaming career in 40k and other gaming systems I've noticed that players who prefer to listen to heavy metal music tend to be the best. I know that might sound crazy and there are no statistics to back up this claim - it's just an observation of mine. If you don't like heavy metal that doesn't mean you are handicapped but if I were to bet my money I'd say that a player that likes heavy metal music has an inherent advantage. The music is intense and very focused so I see it as a tool to sharpen your mind. The gaming environment is becoming more scaled towards competitive play with soft scores taking a slow downward spiral. Make of it what you will.

Financial Stability
I have found that over the course of time players that are financially stable tend to do better. Money or the lack of it is one of the number one drivers for divorce in the USA. If you know you can pay all your bills each month and have some money left over to have fun that in itself is one less thing to worry about... Really it's huge. Think about it - if you want to travel long distances and play against other top gamers it takes money to make it happen. On the other hand if you are always scraping to make ends meet that is stress and takes your mind off the game... Loss of focus. Basically you need to understand what you can afford and what you cannot. It's all about discipline at the end of each day. If you want something outside the realm of your practical budget then you need to save. I know how many big events I can afford to attend and I plan accordingly.

Networking
A very successful person once said if you want to be successful then surround yourself with other successful people. It's very simple if you can like to be around other people that are just as good as yourself. If you have a King of the Hill complex then you're severely limiting yourself. There are many successful people and some of them tend to be rather cool folks. One of the great things about 40k in general is that people from all walks of life play the game. Never put yourself above anyone else... You can learn from anyone.

Dice Whores
A dice whore is a player that tends to roll phenomenally well when needed. A player that always rolls well probably has loaded dice. The ability to roll well often when needed is very huge. Some people can but it's an anomaly. There are no true Yuri Gellers but there are certainly some charlatans. If you knew you're a lucky bastard then you should take up residence in Las Vegas until you get run out of town... And they will eventually. There is nothing you can do to roll hot dice on a consistent basis other than to just be very lucky or use loaded dice. If you happen to find yourself up against a dice whore then here is my advice how to deny that them that particular aspect of their game - bring along a lucky charm and put it on the table such that it's easily visible. You want to subliminally break their concentration. The dice whore probably doesn't realize what they are doing so keep that in mind. I have a small golden horseshoe with diamond studs - it's sparkly and easily catches the eye. I think of it as as psychic blanking totem and I've seen it quickly stop the crazy rolls of the dice. Maybe I'm just superstitious but it works well for me.

Discipline
If you really want to be a top player of the game then you need to be a student of the game. The game becomes a big part of your life and you spend lots of time learning how to improve. I know lots of players with great potential but for whatever reason they don't have a 40k focus. If it's really important to you then make the time necessary to improve... And remember wherever you are at the moment you can always raise your game. It takes commitment and the ability to want to continually improve.