Recently I have felt that I occasionally make a game losing mistake, but that over the long term it doesn't really effect my rank all that much. I tend to be more careful when I feel like I am getting closer to or after I have ranked up since IGS delays the changes until you are well above or below, but when I am squarely in the middle of the rank it doesn't matter as much. I guess winning or losing one... or few games just isn't enough to change a rank. Generally though I try to be careful to not play serially since that is a formula for losing.

That's quite impressive. I don't care the least bit about rank and I still kick myself for making a game-deciding mistake.

My problem is that when I've just ranked up (or even getting close), I sometimes am reluctant to play as much--I only want to play when I feel as though my is sharpest (i.e., when I'm not the least bit tired, distracted, etc.). Of course, this is self-defeating and fun-inhibiting, so I try to push past it.

Yeah, I have been in the habit of playing while the NCAA tournament is going in the background, oh well. I substitute doing problems when I don't have the opportunity to focus. For example if I only have 20min.

I make enough mistakes in my games that I generally don't know which one is the game-deciding mistake.