Connor Hyatt

TL;DR

Between 2019 and 2021, I logged over 5,000 hours in Fortnite. At my peak, I was among the top players in the NAE (North America East) region. Looking back, most of that time feels wasted—but not all of it. Buried in those countless matches were lessons I didn’t realize I was picking up: managing pressure, adapting strategies on the fly, and combining strengths with others to reach a common goal.

🌍 More Than a Game

Most people know Fortnite as popular online battle royale game where up to 100 people drop into an island and face off until only one player or team remains.

But competitive Fortnite is a completely different beast, where split-second decisions decide victory or elimination. The scoreboard stretches across an entire continent, and the prize pools are massive. Bugha, who was in my lobby in the cover photo, even walked away with three million dollars from a single tournament.

For years, I devoted myself to tournaments and analysis, and that focus ended up developing skills that would later prove invaluable in professional settings.

🗣️ Good vs Bad Communication

The difference between winning and losing often comes down to communication. This comes across clearly in the next two clips.

✅ Example of Good Communication

Even after my teammates were eliminated, they continued to provide crucial support:

In this clip, you can hear my team do the following:

Calling out material count - "You have 10 builds"
Directing action - Called for cover fire while I moved into position
Team motivation - A quick “Nice!” boosts confidence and energy mid-fight
Concise callouts - cutting through the noise with short and clear instructions

❌ Example of Poor Communication

Notice the difference with a team I didn’t click with:

This ended up being our only tournament together. We struggled with:

Extended silences - Going quiet left gaps in awareness
Defeatist attitude - "I'm probably dead" instead of adapting to survive
Unclear instructions - Vague callouts broke coordination
Lack of synergy - Everyone was playing their own game

The contrast between these two clips shows exactly why communication skills developed in gaming translate so well to professional environments. Clear, structured communication leads to better outcomes, while chaotic, emotional communication only takes you farther from the objective.

⚡ Adapting to Dynamic Situations

Fortnite moves on to a new season every 2-3 months. With that comes new weapons, map updates, and balance changes that force teams to rethink their strategies. The teams that succeed are those that can quickly pivot and find new approaches to get a competitive advantage over their opponents.

This adaptability is crucial in any professional setting. Technology changes, market conditions shift, and project requirements evolve. The ability to quickly adapt and find new solutions is what separates good teams from great ones.

🧠 Mental Resilience

In Fortnite, even for the best pros, you lose more often than you win. The storm is always closing in, forcing you to act under pressure. All of this makes competitive gaming mentally demanding, requiring quick decisions, steady focus, and emotional control.

When I first started, I’d get shaky in big moments and frustrated when I lost. Over time, I learned to stay collected, keep my focus, and turn mistakes into lessons.

These same techniques help me stay composed during high-stakes work situations, tight deadlines, and challenging projects.

In gaming, you own the outcome, and every decision comes with instant feedback that sharpens how you think and act. This cycle builds accountability and decision-making skills you carry into the real world.

Have you ever learned an unexpected lesson from an activity others might overlook?

— Connor