This goes to you, speedrunner

Lately I've been wondering if being a competitive Pokémon speedrunner was actually worth it. Most importantly, I was unsure of whether it brought me joy at all. Playing video games as a passion? Spending hours figuring out small math problems to make a route less than a second faster? How can that be fulfilling at all? I didn't know if having a solid job with a beautiful was better or not. Well, the latter is far more important and beautiful (I am glad and extremely lucky to have the opportunity to make this come true with the one I love the most), but I don't think this has anything to do with passion. I do not see becoming a parent or earning a lot of money from a big company as a passion, despite being important for one's quality of life.

Yes, speedrunning brings me joy. Meeting Alba is what changed me as a person the most, but speedrunning is definitely second. I see Pokémon as a project worth working on, which is why I care about Emerald so much. It is basically my baby! And yes, I am being metaphorical here, but I think you get the point. I've spent the last 2 to 3 years working on route improvements, manipulations (I think you are familiar with this part the most), practice, grinding, and hope. Huge amounts of hope and patience; I've been waiting for this 2:30 for months (not years, really —a 2:30 was basically out of anybody's mind in early-mid 2018). Now that I've finally achieved it I cannot avoid wondering whether it really made me as happy as being a successful adult. I've already covered this, but let me get to another point with this dire, attention seeking statement:

Fuck yes. I am happy as shit.

Why does this bring me to another point? Because you should be happy with this passion as well! Hence the title of this small text. If you see Pokémon speedrunning as a passion, please do not become so annoyed at bad luck that you simply quit (getting mad is fine, that's basically inevitable). If you feel it, work on it! I cannot emphasize how happy I get when I play well in a good Emerald run (2:30 or better pace) —it is beyond satisfying. And satisfaction brings me happiness! Which is what I seek out of life the most. And that should be your goal as well.

So go, Pokémon runner. Become the very best if you so wish to.