#021 - Gerry Thompson opens up about his life, the grind, and the power of community!

“The negative stuff just kind of hits you a little bit harder.” Gerry Thompson is a consummate pro and all-around good guy. His Magic accomplishments are plentiful. But there is another side to Gerry that he recently opened up about, in a groundbreaking Reddit post: “A Rebuttal: The Lifestyle of the Professional Magic The Gathering Player.” It’s a hard-hitting look at what it means to be a Magic pro. More importantly, Gerry opened up about this lifelong struggle with depression. It’s a great piece and I encourage you to read it if you haven’t done so already. After reading the article, I knew that I absolutely had to talk to Gerry about the themes he explored in his writing. In this 90-minute conversation, we talk about depression, perspective, life goals, and the power of community. While the topics were heavy, we had fun in the process. This is not your typical Magic strategy podcast. Rather, it’s about what it means to be human. You won’t want to miss it. --- Show notes --- “A Rebuttal: The Lifestyle of the Professional Magic: The Gathering Player” by Gerry Thompson https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/58slc5/a_rebuttal_the_lifestyle_of_the_professional/ “Gamers and Depression” by Noah Weil http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/print.php?Article=11045 “Leffen: Resurrection” series http://www.redbull.com/us/en/esports/episodes/1331816544534/cultivation-season-2-leffen-resurrection-episode-1