Really liking your attitude about improving by focussing on yourself first. Try to keep that, it'll get you far. On that New Queen Street game at 1:04:40: As with all flank heroes, keeping track of them or going first is the best you can do. Venture needs to close the distance to you without using cooldowns. Keep track of and force cooldowns on key targets where you can (Venture Shift, Moira Shift, Tracer E). On that map especially Soldier is super strong on the long sightlines, which you barely used. In the big open section in the middle you can shoot almost all the way through with minimal falloff. You mentioned being scared of going on a flank. This is the map to flank as Soldier. If they try to chase you can just run and work the sightlines. Soldier is pretty self-sustainable and doesn't necessarily need to stay with the team. Helps knowing where the health packs are, too. Just being annoying, forcing resources and maybe a pick or two on the flank would've been the play IMO. And please use the "I need healing" button (believe it's bound to X by default). It gives your supports an audio cue and a marker on you, which is super helpful if you're not in their los. Just don't spam it. :)

Help me understand how a "complete beginner" is GM ranked..?

i think you have mouse acceleration on. i could be wrong but they changed the location of it in windows 11

I swear I play better players in bronze lol