Updated on 21 Feb 26 by
Barry carter
Poker Expert

How to be miserable

We start each week with a motivational video but this week how about a de-motivational video (so you know what NOT to do)?





We don't believe that watching a motivational video will suddenly make you a great poker player, consistent good habits and a commitment to learning will. However, it is undeniable that a short term boost of inspiration can start a positive snowball effect. 

Every Monday morning at SpinLegends we share a 'Monday Motivation' video to get our players in the right frame of mind. Whether it's poker, chess, sport, business or study, the lessons are always universal, so we want to get you pumped in the same way. 

Many of us are natural pessimists which is not a bad thing and it certainly doesn't mean we cannot benefit from self help, it just requires a little reframing. This visualisation of Randy Paterson's book How To Be Miserable is a prime example of that. Instead of sharing positive mindset tips, it shares some of the biggest ways we get in our on way.  

This is a very useful way of highlighting the obstacles in your path and framing them as something to avoid, rather than presenting an ideal to strive for. For some of us it's much easier to spot the negative and when we do, we know what to avoid. In poker, as Mental Game coach Jared Tendler advocates, one of the best ways to improve is to identify your biggest leaks and put all your efforts into avoiding and fixing those. It's not exactly positive mental attitude but it is a guaranteed linear way to get better. 

How do you get pumped to play poker? Share your most inspirational videos in the comments:

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Poker Expert

Barry Carter is the editor of PokerStrategy.com and the co-author of The Mental Game of Poker 1 & 2, Poker Satellite Strategy, PKO Poker Strategy, Endgame Poker Strategy, GTO Poker Simplified, Mystery Bounty Poker Strategy and Beyond GTO. In 2025, he won the Global Poker Awards for Best Book and Twitter Personality of the Year.