Why Obsession Over Rating Will Burn You Out

Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game. And he knew something profound that not a lot of people understand. In a 2017 interview, a reporter asked Kobe Bryant what “the dream” was for him. Most people expected him to say the NBA championships. Or the MVP awards. Or the Olympic gold medals. But Kobe just smiled and said:

“It's not the destination, It’s the journey.”

For one of the greatest basketball players of all time, the real joy wasn’t the trophy.
It was the grind. The hours in the gym. The small daily wins. The feeling of getting better, even just 1%, every single day.

And if you’re trying to improve at chess, this mindset will go a long way.

The Trap of Rating Obsession
Let’s be honest. Online chess ratings can feel like a drug. You win three games in a row, and your confidence soars. But you lose two in a row, and suddenly you’re questioning your whole existence.

Casual players live and die by the graph. We chase round numbers. *1000 ELO*. We hit new game too fast. We spiral during slumps and brag during streaks.

But here’s the problem:

When you chase ratings, you forget to chase improvement.

You start playing not to learn, but to protect a number. You avoid tough opponents. You avoid new openings. You avoid risk, because what if you lose ELO?

Ironically, the harder you chase ratings, the more fragile your confidence becomes. And just like that, progress stalls.

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Kobe’s Obsession Wasn’t Winning, It Was Mastery
Kobe didn’t just love basketball. He loved becoming better at basketball. He was in the gym at 4am.
He studied footwork like a scientist. He watched tape for hours, not just to fix mistakes, but to squeeze out any micro-edge. He didn’t need motivation. He had process. The championships came because he committed to growth. Not the other way around.

“Everything was done to learn how to be a better basketball player,” he once said. “Not to win championships, that came later.”

And here’s the chess parallel. If your only goal is to reach 1500, you’ll struggle every time you dip.
But if your goal is to become a more complete player, someone who sees more, stays calmer, understands better, then every game becomes progress. 

And magically, you'll find yourself at 1600.

The Process-First Approach to Chess Improvement
Here’s how to shift from a rating-chaser to a growth-chaser:

1. Set input goals, not just outcome goals

Instead of saying, “I want to hit 1500,” try:

• “I want to review every serious game I play.”
• “I want to study 3 new endgames this month.”
• “I want to play 5 games without rushing in time trouble.”

These are habits that build skills, and skills build rating.

2. Measure progress without the ELO graph

Try keeping a journal (like athletes do)

• What did I learn today?
• What mistake am I finally recognising?
• What situation felt easier this time?

Ratings don’t show that growth. But you can notice it.

3. Make study part of your rhythm, not a heroic effort

Kobe didn’t train only when he felt inspired. He trained because it was part of who he was.
Your improvement doesn’t need to be dramatic, just consistent.

20 minutes a day > 4 hours once a week.

Habits beat hype.

Final Thought: Fall in Love With Getting Better
You’re allowed to want a higher rating. You’re allowed to feel good when you win. But if you truly want to improve, especially as a casual adult player, you’ll need to fall in love with the process.

Because the journey is the dream.

Kobe didn’t chase numbers. He chased mastery. He didn’t fear mistakes. He studied them.
He didn’t wait to feel motivated. He got to work.

Do that in chess, and you’ll go further than any rating graph can show. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find the same thing he did:

The reward isn’t the title.

The reward is becoming the kind of person who earns it.

AUTHOR: KELVIN FINKE

Hi! My name is Kelvin. If you like this blog, consider following along! I am an active chess coach with professional background in strength & conditioning coaching and sports science. I'm passionate about bridging the gap between chess and health & fitness, and showing that chess is a great toolkit for cognitive longevity and brain health.

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