Aaahhhhh Yes. The Call of Duties Series. Some people love it, some hate it. Yet, you have to admit it’s influence on Gamers worldwide as something that is here to stay for a while.

Me? I actually like playing it. Probably because I’m a nerd without prejudice. I give all genre’s equal opportunity to let me escape for a while. To WOW me (no, not a World of Warcraft reference).

I think we can dig and find life lessons in just about anything. And to PROVE this crazy theory of mine, I am going to attempt to break down Call of Duty into something teachable.

So, you ready for this….nerds? Let’s dig in.

1. Know Your Map!

Bruh…where you gonna go if you don’t know which map your on? Not only that, if your playing a map for the first time, your going to play a little different than normal as you learn the layout.

Now to be fair, most COD players don’t have to see which map is loading to know what it is when your start playing. Once it loads you will immediately know which map it is and where you want to go right away.

Good COD players KNOW the maps. They know where the best sniping spots are. Where to camp at the beginning of the match. The best weapons to use on it, and the best methods of winning the game. (Ever run fast into the enemy just waiting for you?)

Same as life (you probably saw that coming). Know where your playing this game of life. If you wake up in the “city” map where you live, you should know the layout completely. 

Life Lesson: Grow Where Your Planted!

Let’s say the almighty creator has led you into a life living in Orlando, Florida. Bro….trade me. If you are there, you need to learn your surroundings and everything about them. Which museums are you near, whats the best beach, which *ahem* Disney World attraction is your favorite. 

You need to be an active member of that community. You need to know what the best day and time of the week are to go to Disney World. The best time to drive opposite traffic to your favorite beach. Maybe you are a fan of the museums in downtown Orlando. How else would you know that unless you have explored your area!

Grow where your planted! Don’t complain about being there, learn to adapt to it and find what works for you. Learn your surroundings. See what your community needs. Grow with them. 

There’s a book called the Go-Giver which everyone should read. Learn to enjoy giving to your community more than receiving from it. Not everyone lives near Disney World, so find what is best about your community and focus on it. Become the cornerstone in that place and people will start noticing around you.

2. Spam the Nade!

Yep. I’m that guy. Match just started, everyones hyped…they run forward past a building and turn right….only to find a grenade for breakfast. 

Grenades aren’t just for the beginning of the match no no no, grenades respawn with you every time you die. So why not use them? You have something to your advantage every respawn, you better use them resources to win the game.

There aren’t just lethals either…you also get a utility ‘nade on top of the lethal just for your gaming pleasure. USE IT. Use what you got, when you got it. No use in holding on to something until it’s too late because the other team is sweaty and you’re hiding in a corner not using your resources.

Life Lesson: Use What You Got!

You are all given different tools to work with in this life. Sometimes people tend to not use all that they have for the benefit of them and others around them.

You have complete and total control over your own minds and actions. Yes, your environment, upbringing and other various factors may be out of your control…but you still have a choice in the matter.

If you were born with a gift to sing, and you don’t sing at all…who loses? Everyone does! 

You lose because you have a gift given by the creator, which usually comes with a heart to enjoy using that gift. You don’t use it, and you feel a spot in your soul that needs to be filled. It’s an empty spot that was supposed to be for singing and you know it.

Then there’s the important part….others! If you have a gift and you don’t let it out for the benefit of others, thats a sad, sad, story my friend.

Others are just waiting to be uplifted by your gifts. It was given to you for a reason. For a purpose. Don’t let others miss out because you don’t “feel” like using the amazing gifts that you have for the benefit of others in this old world. We need your gifts. Your special gifts are amazing and can only be given to the world by you. Spam those gifts bro. Spam the ‘Nade!

3. Keep Moving, Stop Reloading!

Soooo this is kind of a multi-point because these 2 go together. Yes, there are campers. Yes, we’ve all done it at some point and still do…but you know what happens when you camp too long. Death y’all. When you camp and get multi-kills, you know death himself noticed and is coming for you. Death gonna give it to ya. Why? Because the enemies you’ve killed as a group know your camping, where you now are hiding, and have revenge on their minds. They are talking among themselves “Theres a gosh-dang-son-of-a-biscuit camper over here….get ‘em boys!”

What I’m saying is…it’s not a good tactical method to camp for a long period of time, because eventually you will get killed.

The best method is to keep moving forward. Camp a little for a couple kills, then keep going. It’s a known fact that the game is one where you must constantly move. Keep pressing towards the enemy is the key to victory just like most battles in history.

Since your moving forward, it doesn’t really make sense to reload after every shot…does it? Stop it. STOP DOING IT. I’m not just talking to you, but to me as well. I tend to start doing it and every time it becomes a habit, I start dying. Reloading is something to avoid especially since the game is so fast paced.

Countless times I have perished while reloading a weapon at the wrong time. Time your reloads, don’t camp too long at any one spot, and keep moving forward.

Life Lesson: Keep Moving Forward!

I think the message here is simple and clear. I could probably let you and your intelligent nerdy mind deduce what the point is here. I’m going to attempt it anyway so here goes.

My Friend. Stop running in circles. Stop revisiting old problems, old issues, past mistakes, and even past wins! Stop Camping!!!!

We start camping IRL way too much. Whether it’s revisiting past horrors over and over, OR revisiting past WINS over and over.

Either way is not beneficial to you or those around you. “Sure” you might think say “I get revisiting old problems, but why let go of old wins?” Good Question.

If your playing a match of call of duty black ops, and you remember this one time you camped in the perfect spot the whole game which got you the most kills ever…then try and replicate that again guess what will happen?

It’s not the same game. It’s new people with different experiences and most likely will figure it out faster than others and just murderize you.

Don’t live in the past. Good or Bad…because today is not the same. NOW that said, you can take your experiences and learn from them. That is a good thing, but remember not to live by them every time because everyday is different. Life changes each time you get out of bed into a brand new unwritten day.

Prep yourself Fool, for here comes a wise Disney Quote!

“There’s really no secret about our approach. We keep moving forward—opening up new doors and doing new things—because we’re curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. We’re always exploring and experimenting.”

Stay curious my friend. Don’t get stuck, reloading the same weapon which got you victory before over and over. This won’t help you in the long run. 

Listen to Unca Walt. He knew what he was doing right? We are supposed to stand on the shoulders of giants to be taller than we really are.

Use that, and listen…Just this one thing alone could change your way of thinking forever. Keep moving forward.

Whats that? Wheres your fancy schmancy Bible quote on THIS subject Doctor Jones. I got you bruh. 

Isaiah 43:18-19

Remember not the former things, 

nor consider the things of old. 

Behold, I am doing a new thing; 

now it springs forth, do you not 

perceive it? I will make a way 

in the wilderness and 

rivers in the desert.

AND

Proverbs 4:25

Let your eyes look directly 

forward, and your gaze be 

straight before you.

Yep. Great stuff. For reals. Listen, Whether a quote from Disney, or Jesus resonates with you…find some truth in what I’m saying. Make it yours.

SO just to recap on these 3 things.

1. Know Your Map – Grow Where Your Planted
2. Spam the ‘Nade – Use the Gifts that You Got
3. Keep Moving, Stop Reloading – Keep Moving Forward

I really enjoy playing these types of games. It isn’t like a deep RPG or MMORPG where you are leveling up to get certain item to progress the story into a deep web of mysterious adventures. It’s also not like a casual angry birds with little to offer but the flinging of squawking animals breaking down a level with the swipe of a finger. It’s a good medium anyone can jump right into no matter which level they are at and have fun with it.

Jump into life. Get started no matter what the level, and start winning the game…the REAL game.

I hope you found some sort of Mind Bomb within these words. Let me know what your learning from this today, and what your currently struggling with.

This topic can go deeper, so there will probably be more Call of Duty Life Tips. Until next time keep on dreaming Mind Bombers!

This is THE Dr Jones.