Why I Love Pokémon

Introduction

If you follow me on social media, or if you’ve spent more than five minutes around me in real life, you probably know I’m really into Pokémon cards right now.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is such a fun way to slow down, celebrate art, and make new friends. 

But despite my excitement, I often feel like people just don’t get it.

And honestly? I don’t blame them.

From the outside, Pokémon can seem like a bunch of weird little animals and bright colors. 

Like, why would anyone care about an electric mouse?

But to understand why people care, you have to understand what Pokémon is. 

And that starts with the story of Pokémon.

The Story of Pokémon

Across the anime and video games, the plot is always the same.

A young trainer, whether it’s Ash or your in-game character, leaves their small town with the goal of becoming the best Pokémon trainer ever.

To do that, they travel from city to city, defeat eight gym leaders, earn their badges, survive a treacherous cave, battle the Elite Four, and finally take down the Champion.

It’s a textbook hero’s quest, and it’s very challenging.

When I was a kid, I almost threw my Nintendo DS at the wall out of frustration. 

But I kept going. 

I battled, lost, trained my Pokémon to be stronger, and tried again.

This cycle of failing, learning, and getting stronger to progress through the game isn’t just part of the game. 

It’s the entire game.

And it’s the reason Pokémon is so important to a lot of people.

The Message of Pokémon

At its core, Pokémon is about the power of hard work, community, and mentorship.

On this quest, you form bonds with your team, learn from your rivals and mentors, and slowly grow into someone capable of amazing things.

You go from being just a kid from a small town to the best in the region at Pokémon battling.

This is what Pokémon represents: through hard work, community, and mentorship anyone can become something incredible, regardless of what level you start at. 

This is a lesson I still carry with me, especially now.

My Relationship with Pokémon Today

This week, I had the most nerve-wracking day of my career so far.

At work, I’ve been leading a major project designed to improve how our department operates, and last Thursday, I presented it to everyone.

Now, public speaking is something I’ve always enjoyed, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t scary.

In the weeks leading up to the presentation, I found myself nervously counting down the days because I was scared I wouldn’t do well.

What got me through it were the lessons I learned from Pokémon.

I want to be a leader in the retail industry. 

And just like in the games, I remind myself that every obstacle is like a gym battle, a challenge I need to face if I want to become the best.

So I practiced my 30-minute presentation six times over the course of a week and even practiced it in front of some of my coworkers.

And when the day came, it went really well (and dressed like a gym leader!).

Pokémon taught me to tackle challenges head on and to work hard even if you feel like giving up because that’s how you grow. 

Conclusion

Pokémon is more than just a game.

 It’s a reminder that if I keep working hard anything is possible.

Through friendship, failure, and persistence, an ordinary kid can become the champion, and if they can do it, I can too.

So the next time you feel inclined to make fun of someone for liking Pokémon, I hope you’ll remember what it means to the people who love it.

You’re not just making fun of an electric mouse. 

You’re making fun of someone’s source of motivation and belief in themselves.

Pokémon helped me find the courage to want to be somebody as a kid.

And today, they’re still helping me get there, one presentation at a time.

Thanks for reading!

-JM

---

I’ve set a goal for 2025, and I need your help to hit it. I want to grow my email list to 50 subscribers. Pretty soon, I'll be sharing exclusive content with just my exclusive subscribers. To sign up, just click the link below, type your email, and hit enter. You’ll be glad you did. : )))

SUBSCRIBE