Rihaan* came out to his parents in the summer of 2008 three days after they created a profile for him on a matrimonial site. His conservative upper-class family in Pune reacted badly. There was confusion, rage, tears. My father begged me to meet a psychiatrist, who instantly diagnosed my condition as mother-fixation. Rihaans treatment started the same week. First it was coercion and counselling; then he was given medicines and dragged to brothels.

Then came the final sitting to reverse my orientation and cure the disorder. I was locked into a room wallpapered with pictures of nude men and they gave me some injections that made me throw up. I retched the entire day, collapsing in between, then waking up covered in vomit. Two days later the session was repeated and I was shown gay porn. Within a couple of weeks Rihaan was a defeated man. Panic rose in my chest even at the mention of same-sex attraction. My parents were summoned and officially informed that my conversion was complete. I lived like a zombie those days. I was heavily dependent on medicines and each time I tried to stop, I was ravaged by withdrawal symptoms. I contemplated suicide. Then, before I knew it, I was married to a cis woman.

Rihaans marriage lasted five months, but more than 10 years later, he still gets panic attacks. He has no career or confidence. I am unable to have a meaningful relationship and at times the shame and pain are unbearable, he says. Now, Rihaan is finally on the road to recovery.

Curing queerness

Not everyone is so lucky. Anjana Harish, the 21-year-old queer student from Kerala who was found dead in Goa last month, was also subjected to conversion therapy. Her friends say that Harish live-streamed a video revealing the torture she had to endure from pseudo-therapists.

Disturbingly, it looks like the discredited concept of conversion therapy is still being practised. Claiming to cure queerness, it can involve everything from shock treatment to exorcism and hormones to psychotropic drugs and kindling a sense of shame. According to medical experts, it causes irreparable damage to the mental health of victims.

Members of the LGBTQIA+ community say conversion therapy is practised in stealth. The patients are taken to psychiatric wards in hospitals or de-addiction centres with falsified files. When Jay*, a trans man from Ahmedabad, consulted a psychiatrist at a government facility for sex reassignment surgery, the doctor insisted that he go through conversion therapy first. I am a 43-year-old gazetted officer and I went there with some community members. If they could try to coerce me, think about what they must do to younger people with no support, says Jay.

Quacks and clerics

This so-called therapy is dished out not just by unscrupulous health professionals but also by preachers, naturopaths, shamans, and religious establishments. When Marie* told her parents in Coimbatore that she was a trans woman, they asked her to attend a course at an ashram the family used to frequent. On the second day of the course, I woke up in another place where I was held prisoner for two months, she says. I was slapped, body-shamed and sexually abused for being a sinner and acting against the divine plan.

Realising there was no point in fighting, Marie stopped reacting and convinced them that she had changed. I was sent home where I continued the charade for two more months. At the very first opportunity, I fled and never went back. Marie has since undergone sex reassignment surgery and works as a doctor in a hill station where nobody knows her past. I survived because I stayed vigilant from the beginning. Once they break your spirit, there is no going back.

Salmas* relationship with another girl became a scandal that rocked her hometown, Lucknow. It was a cleric who advised the family to keep her in isolation; she was raped multiple times by a close relative, a man she called kaka (uncle). In India, religious institutions and representatives play a big part in promoting conversion therapy. In the West, groups like Exodus International openly promoted conversion therapy across nearly 20 countries, but it has been more hush-hush here, with saints, pastors and babas doing it on the sly. Organised groups operate as de-addiction centres, prayer groups or ashrams.

Against the law

We condemn conversion therapy. Its unlawful, says P.K. Dalal, President, Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS). IPS has taken a strong stand against it. We have a protocol when it comes to such cases and we will soon be coming out with a statement, he adds.

Although there is no specific law prohibiting conversion therapy, legal experts emphasise that the practice violates the Right to Privacy enshrined under Article 21. If sexual abuse is involved, its an IPC offence anyway and now we have the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, that gives a lot of agency to individuals, says Sandhya Raju, an advocate at the Kerala High Court and a member of the Human Rights Law Network. Once mental health review boards are constituted as part of enforcing the law, the community can use it to protect their rights.

If the practice is used against children below 18, the law is even more stringent. Parents can be booked under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. Prijith P.K., president of the Thiruvananthapuram-based Queerythm, which operates a 24x7 helpline for LGBTQIA+ people, says, Very often parents are involved, and doctors claim the treatment is for depression or schizophrenia. He thinks new legislation is needed to address the issue. While transpersons are protected under the NALSA judgment, other segments including gays, lesbians and bisexuals have no legal support. Same-sex marriages are still not legal in India. We talk about inclusivity and awareness, but legal backing is very important to achieve that goal. When the discrimination ends, the rest will follow, he says.

While most such practitioners are quacks, there are some who strongly believe they are offering a service. A Kerala-based psychiatrist who practises conversion therapy said, on condition of anonymity, that his patients undergo the treatment willingly as its easier to live as a heterosexual individual.

According to him, many of his patients now have a family and children. But he admits that many of them return due to marital discord and are on endless medication for depression.

A Hyderabad-based sexologist is equally confident. He offers different programmes tailored to the severity of queerness and says, You can fix most homosexuals with hormone therapy. Psychiatric interventions have been successful in most cases Ive treated. For example, testosterone injections can reverse same-sex desire to a great extent while some people respond to behavioural therapy.

He refuses to share his methods and says sexual deviance often springs from childhood sexual abuse and conditioning. He believes he is helping queer people by reaffirming their real orientation or gender identity, making them acceptable, and protecting the honour of their families.

Hypnotised, lobotomised

The origins of this clandestine practice date back to the 19th century, when deviant sexual orientations were considered sinful or criminal. One of the first documented cases comes from the accounts of Albert von Schrenck-Notzing, a German physician who reportedly used hypnosis to cure homosexuality in the 1890s.

By the early 1900s, practitioners worldwide began to use hypnosis as well as electroconvulsive therapy and sometimes surgical procedures like lobotomy. People were tortured, castrated and subjected to sordid corrective measures. Aversion therapy, of the kind Rihaan underwent, was portrayed in Stanley Kubricks 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.

In India, the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS, New Delhi, conducted a study to reverse sexual orientation between 1977and 1982. The subjects were six homosexual people, who were administered electric shocks using an aversion therapy apparatus set at 50 volts to control their homoerotic fantasies. The report claimed that four persons were successfully reoriented. By the 2000s, several doctors and healers had popped up across the country.

In May this year, the U.N. published a report cataloguing the severe and everlasting impacts of conversion therapy. The report says, Attempts to pathologize and erase the identity of individuals, negate their existence as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender diverse and provoke self-loathing have profound consequences on their physical and psychological integrity and well-being. It urges governments to ban conversion therapy. So far only five countries Germany (for under-18s), Malta, Ecuador, Brazil, Taiwan have drawn up bills making it illegal, but efforts are on in other countries too.

At the most basic level, conversion therapy is unethical and a human rights violation. Even after the Supreme Court decriminalised consensual same-sex relationships by striking down Section 377 and came out with the historic NALSA judgment to protect transgender rights, Indian society is far from queer-friendly: LGBTQIA+ individuals still face violence, hostility and stigma. And a very real threat to their mental and physical health.

The Turing Effect

In January 1952, English mathematician Alan Turing, who played an important role in breaking German war codes during WW II,

was charged under the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885 for being in a sexual relationship with a man. Turing, who would later become famous as the father of modern computer science and artificial intelligence, was convicted. He was made to undergo hormonal therapy or chemical castration for one year, which reportedly made him impotent and led to the formation of breast tissue. Turing was also barred from continuing his government work.

In June 1954, two weeks before he turned 42, Turing was found dead at home, by apparent suicide, although subsequent reports claimed his death may have been due to accidental poisoning. Turings path-breaking research and his persecution were the subject of the 2014 Oscar-winning film, The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. In December 2013, Queen Elizabeth II overturned Turings conviction. And in September 2016, the U.K. government said it would extend the retroactive exoneration to other men convicted similarly, under a new Alan Turing law.

*Names changed to protect identity.

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Shock treatment, exorcism, psychotropic drugs: behind conversion therapy for queers - The Hindu

From Malaika Arora To Karanvir Bohra TV & Film Actors Laud Government For Banning Chinese Apps (Pic credit: Vishal Dadlani/Karanvir Bohra/Facebook )

The governments decision to ban 59 Chinese applications, including TikTok, has been lauded by a lot of celebrities from the film and TV industry.

Malaika Arora considers the move as the best news she has heard in lockdown so far.

Finally, we will not be subjected to peoples ridiculous videos, she wrote on Instagram Stories.

According to Shararat fame Karanvir Bohra, blocking of Chinese applications is a great start.

Happy with the step our government had taken.people wonder what they can do for their country? Id say every bit counts, this is a good start.#DELETE #ChineseAppsBlocked, Karanvir said.

Actor Kushal Tandon is extremely happy. For the uninitiated, Kushal has been protesting against the use of Chinese applications, especially TikTok, for a long time. Finally some good news, he wrote.

Actor Ashmit Patel too called it the best news

It made my day, Ashmit added.

Thank youu for saving our country. This Virus named TikTok should never be allowed again, Nia Sharma tweeted.

Actor Nikitin Dheer shared advantages of banning Chinese applications.

A start to cutting off revenue, spyware, malware etc. And m****s asking why dont we attack China it just shows how ignorant you are, army doesnt need our advice on how to , if you have not read, a lot of industrial contracts have been cancelled, he wrote.

However, it seems music composer Vishal Dadlani is not impressed by the governments decision.

He tweeted: Banning Apps is to China, what Taali/Diyas were to coronavirus.

The Narendra Modi government on Monday banned 59 Chinese applications over national security concerns amid strained India-China relations after the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese PLA troops in eastern Ladakh. The apps banned include TikTok, WeChat, WeSync, SelfieCity, Helo, UC Browser, Shareit, Kwai, Likee, and the game Clash Of Kings, which were popular in India.

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The post From Malaika Arora To Karanvir Bohra TV & Film Actors Laud Government For Banning Chinese Apps appeared first on Koimoi.

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Tamannaah Bhatia Shares Fitness Tips With Fans & It's All The Motivation You Need Today | Ydraft - Ydraft

The impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the workplace has been far-reaching with many employers discovering that while there were certainly benefits to working at home, there were also a number of setbacks.

In fact, a recent survey conducted by digital marketing agency BlueGhost Czech polled team members across a number of sectors who said that working from home presented challenges: no overview of who is working on what, long energy-sapping virtual meetings, and an overall lack of productivity.

Nothing can hinder engagement like uncertainty and nothing can lead to low productivity and heavy losses like a lack of engagement says mentor and coach Rainer Bach, the founder of MyFeedBach, a company that specializes in helping frontline managers increase team motivation and engagement.

Bach says that a strong focus on the motivational aspect of leadership and a people-centered approach is now more important than ever.

The basic needs of employees autonomy, competence, and connectedness have not changed because they work from home, but the circumstances under which to satisfy them have, he says.

Bachs newly launched five-step mentoring program D.R.I.V.E. is a unique blend of coaching and training that combines his research and extensive experiences in leadership roles, particularly in the IT sector. It aims to help frontline managers who are experiencing low engagement in their teams.

Bach, who held a leadership position at Deutsche Telekom for more than two decades, started his freelance consulting career in 2014. During this time he helped a number of large clients in Prague lead digital transformation programs.

It was then that he realized how those in the project management roles were struggling to get things done in cross-functional teams.

They were feeling overloaded with functional and administrative tasks, he recalls. Project Managers typically didnt have time to care for the needs of the experts doing the actual work, and that had an immediate impact on those peoples engagement.

Bach discovered that a lack of care and the resulting frustration of employees needs also led to disengagement.

The line managers I observed didnt intend to give their direct reports a hard time. Being under pressure themselves, they were often failing to care for and motivate their people, he says.

One common problem he witnessed, particularly in the IT sector, was that those in charge often viewed themselves as subject matter experts above all.

Getting deeply technically involved, their analytical brain was operating at full capacity while their social brain, shut down. This makes sense because science shows us they are mutually exclusive, says Bach whose science-based D.R.I.V.E. program incorporates his studies into the psychology of employee engagement.

Bach, who has led popular seminars and workshops at co-working hubs around Prague also stresses the importance of helping those in leadership roles to understand their employees basic psychological needs and how to cater to them and in turn unlock their employees hidden capacities and talents.

Unawareness of what truly makes people go above and beyond and trying to approach motivation in a costly hit-or-miss kind of way often results in employee dissatisfaction, he says.

For knowledge workers of the digital age, Bach says opportunities for meaningful and challenging work, task ownership, and personal growth drive motivation not bonuses, incentives, gifts, or awards.

Bach recalls seeing people feeling bad despite having received a bonus because they were the only ones considered, even though the success was a team effort. On the contrary, he vividly remembers people around me having been on cloud 9 for days simply because they made progress on their work which they truly felt attached to.

He believes that motivationally savvy team leaders understand what people are intrinsically driven by and support them in getting there. Less skilled leaders run the risk of thwarting peoples needs and drive employees into disengagement.

There is the old saying that people leave managers and not companies. It rightly suggests that the direct manager takes the lion share when it comes to influencing the well-being and, therefore, the engagement of the individual, says Bach, whose program encourages managers to value their peoples daily needs, while interacting with empathy.

When people give reasons for their frustration or for leaving a job, it almost always starts with My manager and continues doesnt support my growth, doesnt give me meaningful work, ignores my ideas for change, or micromanages me, Bach adds.

He is convinced that when you listen and act upon your employees needs, you engage their competencies fully helping them develop into proactive problem solvers who ensure the smooth flow of business operations and ultimately contribute creatively to your firms innovation and success,

In the end, Bach believes that team leaders whose teams lag far behind in their targets due to low employee satisfaction will benefit greatly from his new program, which ratchets up leaders motivational skills while ensuring learning retention and goal attainment with follow up coaching.

When you effectively turn your employees into guardians of your high-quality business operations and give them a great sense of well-being at the same time you will see incredibly positive results, he says.

Do you want to learn more about D.R.I.V.E.? Visit MyFeedBach.eu

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How to jump-start team motivation and performance in the digital age - Expats.cz

People want to help each other, even when it costs them something and even when the motivations to help dont always align, a new study suggests.

In research published earlier this month in the journal Science Advances, sociologists found that people overwhelmingly chose to be generous to otherseven to strangers, and even when it seems one motivation to help might crowd out another.

It is the first study to examine how all the established motivations to be generous interact with one another.

We wanted to do an exhaustive study to see what the effects of those motivations would be when combinedbecause they are combined in the real world, where people are making choices about how generous or kind to be with one another, said David Melamed, lead author of the study and an associate professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.

RELATED: Johns Hopkins is Offering Free Online Course in Psychological First Aid

The study involved more than 700 people, and was designed to help researchers understand prosocial behavior.

It means doing something for someone else at a cost to yourself, Melamed said. So one example would be paying for the person behind yous order at the coffee shop. Or right now, wearing your mask in public. Its a cost to you; its uncomfortable. But you contribute to the public good by wearing it and not spreading the virus.

Scientists previously had determined that four motivators influenced people to behave in a way that benefited other people.

MORE: How to Be Happier During COVIDDecades of Science Shows That Gratitude, Love, and Connection Can Save Your Life

One: The recipient of a kindness is inclined to do something nice for the giver in return. Two: A person is motivated to do something nice to someone that she saw be generous to a third person. Three: A person is likely to do good in the presence of people in their network who might reward their generosity. And four: A person is likely to pay it forward to someone else if someone has done something nice for her.

Those four motivators had all been studied isolated from one another, and some had been studied as a pairbut until this experiment, scientists had not conducted a comprehensive study about how the four motivators might affect one another in the real world, where the motivation to be kind to others might be influenced by multiple factors.

In the real world, the conditions under which people are nice to each other are not isolatedpeople are embedded in their networks, and theyre going about their daily lives and coming into contact with things that will affect their decisions, Melamed said. And these experiments show that all the motivations work. If you want to maximize prosocial behavior, it was a really great thing to see.

CHECK OUT: The Science of KindnessBiology Proves How We Are All Connected

For this study, which was done online, participants had to decide how much of a 10-point endowment to give to other people. The points had monetary value to the participants; giving cost them something.

Then the researchers created different scenarios that combined one or all four of the potential motivators for giving.

Melamed said that prior to the experiment, he thought the motivations for kindness might crowd one another out. For example, a person may be less apt to indirectly reward anothers generosity toward a third person when he is focused on directly giving back help that he received.

LOOK: Doing Something Nice For Others Can Immediately Relieve Sensations of Physical and Mental Pain, Says New Study

People have a self-bias, he said. If you do something nice for me, I may weigh that more than if I see you do something nice for someone elsebut we found that all the motivators still show up as predictors of how much a person is willing to give to someone else, regardless of how the differing motivators are combined.

This research helps us understand the remarkable quantity and diversity of prosocial behavior we see in humans, Melamed said.

From an evolutionary perspective, its kind of perplexing that it even exists, because youre decreasing your own fitness on behalf of others, Melamed said. And yet, we see it in bees and ants, and humans and throughout all of nature.

Reprinted from Ohio State University file photo by Toa Heftiba

Restore Your Friends Faith In Humanity By Sharing This Inspiring Research To Social Media

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People Try to Do Right by Each OtherNo Matter the Motivation, Says New Scientific Study - Good News Network

Hina Khan has shared a new video on her social media and it definitely looks like something that we can all benefit from amid the ongoing lockdown. Check it out right here.

The lockdown has given everyone time to spend on themselves and something that we all have been working on is to work out and stay fit. While some have made efforts to get back to fitness, others have made an attempt to stick to their routine schedules and be disciplined. Talk about it and you cannot miss Hina Khan, who keeps sharing photos and videos as a part of glimpses for the fans.

And now, she went on to share a video of her workout which is about 5 minutes long and it sure will prove to be helpful for anyone who wishes to keep up with their fitness. While the week has just started, some motivation does go a long way and hence, we can all make some use from this video, especially if you are someone who wishes to get to it. The actress has kept it simple and well, we bet it is something that is good to get habituated with as a part of everyday routine.

Apt much? Try some of them out and drop your comments on how did it go.

Meanwhile, Hina also spoke about the ongoing debate on nepotism and she went on to say, "If I talk about myself, I have done TV, films, web series, music videos and now I am doing a digital film. I am giving my best because I know that I will have to perform well in all my films then someone might notice me. We need to work very hard to get noticed by a big producer or director,"

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Hina Khan shares a workout video and it is all the motivation you need to start your week on a fit note; WATCH - PINKVILLA

The start of the week always has us wishing the weekend did not end, so we could just sleep a little bit longer or just relax without doing anything. It is very common to have the Monday blues, cause we all know that we will have a gruelling week of work ahead that will leave us with no time for rest. So we all need a bit of motivation to get our week started on a positive note and for it to continue till the next weekend. Also Read - These Inspirational Sunday Quotes Will Keep You Thinking And Going Throughout The Week

The quotes below are from well known personalities of the world, and they not only motivate us to get up and get going but also how to think positive thoughts so that we go through the week without any problems. Also Read - Feeling Down And Out? Here Are 10 Inspirational Quotes by The Dalai Lama to Lighten Your Load

1. Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasnt arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and Im going to be happy in it. (Groucho Marx) Also Read - Here Are 10 Inspirational Quotes From Mahatma Gandhi to Help You Live Life to The Fullest

2. When you start to do the things that you truly love, it wouldnt matter whether it is Monday or Friday; you would be so excited to wake up each morning to work on your passions. (Edmond Mbiaka)

3. Your Monday morning thoughts set the tone for your whole week. See yourself getting stronger, and living a fulfilling, happier & healthier life. (Germany Kent)

4. If you dont design your own life plan, chances are youll fall into someone elses plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much. (Jim Rohn)

5. Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value. (Albert Einstein)

6. Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. (Dalai Lama)

7. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there arent enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress. (Viggo Mortensen)

8. Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again. (Richard Branson)

9. Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. (Mark Twain)

10. The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others. (Unknown)

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Monday Motivation: These 10 Inspirational Quotes Will Leave You Eager to Start The Week - India.com

Tuesday, which comes after Monday, is in many parts of the world considered to be the second day of the week. For most, the day is no different from the first day of the week as there is still a lot of work to get done. Bogged down with work and working from home, is making many feel the Tuesday blues and in need of a bit of inspiration to keep pushing on. Also Read - Monday Motivation: These 10 Inspirational Quotes Will Leave You Eager to Start The Week

In a bid to inspire you, we bring to you 10 quotes by well known personalities with the hope they make you think positive, work hard and smart. Also Read - Feeling Down And Out? Here Are 10 Inspirational Quotes by The Dalai Lama to Lighten Your Load

1. Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The suns rays do not burn until brought to a focus. (Alexander Graham Bell) Also Read - Here Are 10 Inspirational Quotes From Mahatma Gandhi to Help You Live Life to The Fullest

2. Im a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. (Thomas Jefferson)

3. Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. (Thomas Edison)

4. Dont judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. (Robert Louis Stevenson)

5. Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. (Dale Carnegie)

6. Developing a good work ethic is key. Apply yourself to whatever you do, whether youre a janitor or taking your first summer job because that work ethic will be reflected in everything you do in life. (Tyler Perry)

7. Dont be afraid to give your best to what are seemingly small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves. (William Patten)

8. Dreams can come true, but there is a secret. Theyre realized through the magic of persistence, determination, commitment, passion, practice, focus and hard work. They happen a step at a time, manifested over years, not weeks. (Elbert Hubbard)

9. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. (Steve Jobs)

10. Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work. (Stephen King)

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Tuesday Motivation: Check Out These 10 Quotes That Will Inspire You to Work Hard And Smart - India.com

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. -- Having the freedom to go and enjoy watching my kids play sports and other activities without having the pressure of missing a workout or training session was one reason it was easy to retire, to walk away without any doubts.

While you're still on a roster, training probably is the most important thing going on in any athletes house. For the most part, the entire household moves on the same schedule as my workouts and running.That even goes for sporting events for the kids. Family vacations, cookouts and events usually dont happen until after minicamp.

Things sure have changed this year.

Every weekend, we now load up and head to the parks to watch baseball, although the COVID-19 spike couldshut that down soon, too.Still, I enjoy having something to do and it being sports. I really enjoy it. Im usually the one who packs up the van with a wagon, a cooler full of drinks, a tent and foldable chairs. You know, just a typical day of kids playing baseball at the park.

We were lucky last time, as we had early games before the Tennessee heat and humidity kicked in. The kids went 2-0 in the morning and had to wait for the results that would land them in their pool play for the rest of the weekend. And what was different about this 2-0 start was the team did it without one of their best players.That kid and his family went on vacation, as many families do this time of the year. Id be lying if I didnt say I expected us to struggle some because he bats leadoff and plays shortstop. Hes a really good athlete.

As we were leaving the park, I said to my brother, You know it sucks to know youre one of the best players on the team, and for the first time since the season started, your team goes 2-0 without you.

This isn't an indictment on the kid for going on vacation and missing those games. Nope, we're talking about the psychological side of sports when the fear of missing out will make you feel guilty over something you cant control.

FOMO (fear of missing out) is aterm I've heard athletes use when they feel like an opportunity is missed.

In the world of sports, this happens a lot. Guys miss games because of injuries such as sprained ankles, MCL sprains, concussions or a season-ending setback that leaves you feeling like the world is crashing, especially if your team is having success. At Baltimore in 2014,I sprained my ankle. Any sensible person should have let the next man up finish the game. Except no one had to say anything to me about finishing the game. If I could control the pain, I wasnt leaving.

I finished the game with a heavily taped ankle and a wobble, but playing at Baltimore is a game I wasnt going to miss if I could help it. Check it out on YouTube, near the end of this video:

We've seen players take big hits and still come out and play the following week. I know guys who had MCL surgery and were back on the field within two weeks. The mental makeup of guys wanting to play no matter the circumstance is something that sometimes cant be put in context. I would've rather played a game hurt and have a couple of bad plays than to miss a game.

Thats why its important to have coaches who will shut players down and protect them. Given the opportunity to play, guys are going to take it. If I had something going on during a game, Maurkice Pouncey and I had a method of knowing when to talk to the athletic trainer without feeling like we were letting our teammates down. If Pouncey needed checked out, I always brought it to the attention of the training staff. It takes away the doubt of having others question your toughness or commitment, and it forces pride to take a backseat when your brother looks out for you.

I'm sure my son's teammate and his family checked on the scores over this weekend, and I'll bet the kid had a fear of missing out. It can put a heavy burden on your mind when playing team sports.

During training camp in 2018, my knee was hyperextended on the first day wearing pads at practice. I had pulled ligaments and a deep bone bruise, and, at the time,I thought my season was over and my career possibly was coming to an end. When the MRI came back, I was relieved and optimistic about being able to play again. I pushed hard to get healthybecause I didnt want to miss out on any action.

True pros realize the train keeps moving. It was my intent not to miss that train. I went to every meeting to see who was lining up at left guard and, truthfully, was hoping they werent doing better than I was before being injured.

That might be an eye-opener for readers, but its the truth.

I wanted to start Week 1 against the Browns and prove myself to my guys. I probably was close to 90 percent for the opener, and I had a few things working for me in that, soon after camp, the weather became cooler and it happened to rain that day.

And you know what? I made it.

The biggest advantage I had was the fear of missing games and seeing the team succeed without me. Sports have a lot of life lessons in them. If youre right-minded, you find ways to do things you never did before, pushing and pushing to never feel left out.

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Ramon Foster on playing through pain: Fear of missing out great motivation - DKPittsburghSports.com

49ers' Raheem Mostert reveals how he stays motivated after breakout 2019

Raheem Mostert's journey in the NFL hasn't been a smooth one. After going undrafted coming out of Purdue in 2015, Mostert was cut by six NFL organizations before landing in San Francisco by joining the 49ers' practice squad in November 2016.

Fast forward three years and Mostert is the lead back on the NFC's best team, and he rushed for 220 yards in the NFC Championship Game as the 49ers advanced to Super Bowl LIV. Despite all the success that came with his breakout 2019 campaign, Mostert revealed that he hasn't forgotten all the teams that chose to pass on the 28-year-old.

[RELATED:Rich Eisen believes 49ers have had best offseason of all NFL teams]

"In my phone, in my notes," Mostert told ESPN's Jordan Schultzwhen asked where he keeps the list of those six NFL teams that released him. "Always there. It's never leaving until I can write it off."

Mostert rushed for 1,108 yards between the regular season and three playoff games, adding five touchdowns in that postseason run alone. When pressed on it, Mostert's goals go far beyond what he accomplished in 2019.

"My mindset is always going to be, if I don't make the Hall of Fame," Mostert continued. "I'm going to be more agitated with myself that I didn't do enough. And me missing so many years definitely is going to take an effect to that, but if I do make the Hall of Fame, and all that type of stuff, and that's my attitude, then that's when I'll finally be able to write that off my list and say, 'It was a nice journey and this is what I went through.' "

Given that Mostert had just 41 NFL carries prior to his coming-out party of a2019 season, he's a long way away from the career numbers required of a Hall of Fame running back. Former Arizona Cardinals star Edgerrin James, who will be inducted in 2021, amassed over 12,000 yards over an 11-year NFL career. Mostert enters the 2020 season -- at the age of 28 -- with just 1,069 rushing yards (excluding postseason numbers).

The running back clearly is motivated for 2020, and with most of the 49ers' dynamic offense returning to the lineup, Mostert is in line for another big season in San Francisco.

[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST:Listen to the latest episode]

Nick Bosa and Joe Staley were at opposite ends of their NFL careers.

It became a regular post-practice scene during training camp last summer when the player in his first NFL season would walk off the field and compare notes with the player taking part in thefinal training camp of his 13-year career.

Staley, an NFL All-Decade left tackle, certainly made Bosa better. Bosa likely did the same for Staley.

Staley is no longer with the 49ers after announcing his retirement in April. Now, Bosa should have a chance to advance his game even further with daily practices against another top-flight offensive tackle assuming camp takes place as scheduled through the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The 49ers acquired Trent Williams, a seven-time Pro Bowl performer, in a trade with Washington in April. Williams takes over atleft tackle, where he and Bosa will go up against each other plenty during practice sessions.

My impressions are, the tape Ive watched of him, its pretty impressive, Bosa said last week during the 49ers State of the Franchise virtual event. Im just excited we have a player like that on our team.

[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST:Listen to the latest episode]

Williams rejoins Kyle Shanahan, for whom he played his first four NFL seasons. In the first year of Mike Shanahan as Washingtons head coach -- and with Kyle as offensive coordinator -- Williams was the teams 2010 first-round draft pick at No. 4 overall.

Im excited that hes familiar with Kyles offense, so (he's) just a great replacement for Joe and Im going to have a really good challenge all training camp, Bosa said. Itll be interesting.

[RELATED:How Nick Bosa's D-line knowledge impressed 49ers legend Bryant Young]

Bosa registered nine sacks during the regular season and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He collected four more sacks in three postseason games.

Williams did not play last season. He held out through the first eight weeks of the season after alleging that Washington team doctors misdiagnosed a cancerous growth on his head. After reporting to the club, he ended up going on the non-football injury list.

It seems like the 49ers just wrapped up an impressive 2020 NFL Draft that saw them add defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, tight end Charlie Woerner and offensive lineman Colton McKivitz.

That's because they did. It's only been about nine weeks since the draft, and due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 49ers' rookies haven't been able to take the field yet with their teams, learning with coaches by Zoom instead.

While the excitement for the 2020 class is palpable, it's never too early to look at the 2021 class and prognosticate about who the 49ers might add next April.

The 49ers have a loaded roster that's ready to win now. While they don't have a lot of holes to fill, general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan will be looking to add talent at positions they expect will experience turnover in the near future or have a need to upgrade immediately. Now, we know it's way, way, way too early for this and the 49ers' draft spot won't even be determined for six months. But, there's no hard in looking.

[49ERS INSIDER PODCAST:Listen to the latest episode]

Here's who some of the experts have the 49ers drafting in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The 49ers kept Joe Staley's retirement under wraps and were able to swing a trade for Trent Williams to keep their Super Bowl train on time in 2020. The 49ers hope to re-sign Williams after the season, but the interior of their line could use an upgrade.

Humphrey is a center by trade, but he also can slide over and play guard where the 49ers will have an immediate need after releasing Mike Person this offseason. The 49ers will head into 2020 with Daniel Brunskill, Ben Garland and Tom Cotton competing to be the starting right guard. While Brunskill played well in a pinch last season, it's unclear if he's the long-term answer at right guard.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has the 49ers selecting Humphrey, who elected to return to Oklahoma for his senior season. He's a high-IQ center who knows how to leverage his body and frame against defenders. He's a powerful blocker, with good mobility and awareness.

Etienne stunned everyone by electing to return to Clemson for his senior season. Instead of entering a loaded 2020 class, Etienne will be the runaway No. 1 back on the 2021 draft board.

Etienne is a walking home run with incredible breakaway speed and a knack for destroying pursuit angles. He's a huge weapon in the passing game and would give Shanahan yet another YAC weapon to torment defenses with.

CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso has the 49ers selecting Etienne late in the first round. While running back isn't the 49ers' most pressing need and it's normally frowned upon to take one in the first round, it's hard to argue that Etienne wouldn't be a star in the 49ers' offense.

[RELATED: How Aiyuk's potential impact stacks up with loaded rookie class]

The 49ers will need to do something to address their secondary in the 2021 NFL Draft. They enter the 2020 season with no cornerbacks signed after this season.

So, adding a cornerback who can start and be productive immediately should be at the top of the list.

USA Today's Ben Easterling has the 49ers selecting South Carolina cornerback Israel Mukuamu at the back end of the first round.

Mukuamu, 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, is an athletic, rangy corner who held his own against NFL caliber receivers in the SEC. He needs to be more disciplined with his footwork near the line of scrimmage, but is a high-upside, press corner who should be able to start on Day 1.

Link:
Mostert reveals how he stays motivated after breakout year - Comcast SportsNet Bay Area

We classify Candy Crush Saga as belonging to the 'Puzzle - Match 3' sub-genre within the main 'Puzzle' genre.

More specifically, this is defined as follows: 'In Match3 puzzle games players match board pieces together to clear them from the board and complete various level goals'.

Other examples: Toy Blast, Gardenscapes

Top Three Motivational Drivers

These people like to experience a sense of accomplishment through solving puzzles and brain teasers of several kinds.

These people express themselves through visual customization and decoration or characters, items or buildings and showing it to others.

These people like to experience a sense of completion through achieving different milestones and thresholds, each more demanding than the last.

Top Three Player Archetypes

Thinkers enjoy playing games for the occasional brain teaser or other cognitive challenges to take their mind off other things. Being able to solve puzzles successfully gives Thinkers a high sense of accomplishment and draws them to the world of gaming time and time again.

Skill Masters are always on the lookout for ways to become better and better in any game they pick up. They see the hard difficulty and steep learning curves as appealing rather than repelling qualities. Skill Masters are passionate about improving and honing all aspects of their gameplay and gain satisfaction when others acknowledge their high level of skill.

Kings of the Hill prefer games with a high degree of competition with other players. For this player type PvP-action is the best (and often the only) way to get the most satisfaction out of gaming. Kings of the Hill enjoy the sense of power resulting from competing against friends, acquaintances or random people and then outwitting, outmanoeuvring and outlasting them.

Top 3 motivations Candy Crush Saga fulfils better than the genre average

These people like to experience a sense of power by competing against friends, acquaintances or random people while outwitting, outlasting and outmanoeuvring them

These people like to experience a sense of togetherness through working together with friends, acquaintances or even random people while achieving goals and milestones as a team.

These people like to experience a sense of accomplishment through solving puzzles and brain teasers of several kinds.

Some motivations Candy Crush Saga fulfils less than the genre average

Much like Fortnite, Candy Crush Saga maps very well to the genre average with no clear areas where it significantly falls behind with its motivational mapping.

The most significant differences are:

Summary

For any mobile game developer, gaining insight into their players key drivers and motivations is essential to help drive the continued success of their game.

This applies from initial launch and testing through to the games ongoing development. As new gameplay trends emerge, such as greater social features, battle passes and hybrid genres, developers must be able to monitor whether or, not their game is still delivering what the audience is looking for.

The field of player insight and motivations is a new one in mobile game analytics. Still, it now means that developers have even more tools at their disposal to ensure that their games keep their audience engaged by delivering new and exciting experiences for years to come.

Read more from the original source:
Analysis: Player motivations in three top grossing US iPhone games - Pocket Gamer.Biz