Harmless wrote:...
It's a shame when the only thing you're praised for is your "dedication"...
Heyhey, dedication leads to good things.
If one does not have any dedication, one cannot get any better in LDing NOR can one make anything worthwhile.
In the 14th LDC, I scored a flat 4.5/20 from MoD. I placed third-to-last out of over 30 contestants. I use this story a lot, but still, I consider it a good one. Because of the mark, I DEDICATED myself to impressing MoD in the 15th LDC. I DEDICATED myself to playing the levels of the greats in WITBLOAT for inspiration. I DEDICATED myself to my entry, spending over hundred of hours in one month on it.
The result?
I started the real LDing career - I was accepted to judge in many LDCs, my levels got attention, I made great connections in the LD world, I got respected. On top of that, I won Best Member in the Runouw votes. (Oh, and MoD did come to love me. :3)
The moral?
Well kid, if you don't have the will to dedicate yourself to something, you don't have the will to go far.