Poker is not Dying - Your Mindset for a Successful Game

Introduction

In this article

• Why more difficult does not mean not worthwhile
  
• How you can change your definition of success
  
• The Possibilities Poker gives you
  

You can still beat the games for significant profit

If you scroll through online forums and blogs these days you will get the miserable impression that online poker profitability is plummeting to horrible depths. Everywhere you turn, poker players are discussing abandoning the opportunity that poker provides, for an attempt to return to traditional employment for just that reason. Don’t listen to them; you’re much smarter than that. Just in case you’re mentally drained from a long productive day of studying and jumping on and off tables to dig up what you already know, here is a refresher of the reasons for playing poker:

“More Difficult” does not mean “Not Worthwhile”

Maybe you were around during the golden age of online poker. When, and so I hear, stacking an opponent with top pair was easier than running to the door to pay the delivery guy while keeping an eye on your tables for pocket rockets. You’ve surely heard the stories. The games are probably much more difficult than back then. They are becoming increasingly more competitive and challenging, and it’s not as easy as it once was to earn $500k/year. I know what you’re thinking, the same thought is going through my head: “So what?”

You can still make extremely high hourly rates and income; all you have to do is work hard. That’s it, there are no hidden passageways to a poker oracle, no secret societies, not even the Free Mason’s are involved. Poker success, like most pursuits in life, is based primarily on your willingness and ability to put in the time and effort. Will it take you more time and more effort to make a slightly lower hourly rate than what would have been relatively possible a few years ago? Probably, yes. The modern hourly rate will still provide an income dramatically greater than most other jobs, assuming you are disciplined and aggressive with your poker efforts. In fact, you also have the added benefits of:

• Mental and physical freedom
• Flexibility
• Creative outlet
• Competitive challenges
• Exponential potential with virtually no or a very thin ceiling

Success: Process v Product

John Wooden is a basketball legend. He is the only person to ever be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and as a coach. To Mr. Wooden, success was not defined by the output, but by the process. If you work hard, and strive to be your best, then regardless of the outcome you have succeeded. This outlook is brilliant and not only because of its simplicity.

At first, it may appear that at the heart of this approach is the idea that our success should not be defined by the tangible and material. More importantly however, it means to draw attention to the level of discipline and enjoyment in work that is at the core of excellence. By focusing on the process and not the outcome, we see preparation as the end in itself. Our output, or in the poker world our profit, is then a by-product of our energy expenditure, and not the focal point of our energy and attraction.

In this light, our motivation can be geared towards simply becoming better poker players, and not just trying to make money. We of course all work towards the bottom line, that’s why many of us play poker and want to succeed. Upon reflection however, we should see our learning and improvement as the measure of our success. This not only increases our potential to accomplish, as by improving we are succeeding, but also drastically alters our perception of and sensitivity to the definition of happiness we employ and derive from our work. If my goal every day is to get better, to improve as a poker player, to review hands and concepts, play around with theory and discuss poker with friends, my profit/loss for the day has no effect on my perception of my own success for that day. In this way my feelings of accomplishment and happiness are protected.

As poker players and gamblers of any kind, we all know that our actual numerical output each day is irrelevant, what matters is the long run. The day to day, week to week, sometimes month to month (perhaps year to year for those who play live) fluctuations are not of primary importance, and may or may not be indicative of much. We train ourselves to ignore it. Unfortunately though, we are still human and it’s difficult not to in some way feel the influence of our results for that day.

A large part of the reason why we let our rational mind falter and be pierced by the spear of negative emotion is that our rationale already has holes in it. It’s not strong enough to withstand the impact of our rushing hormones as they rise from the sub-cortical depths and try to reign havoc on our reasoning capabilities. Part of the deficiency in our thinking is the fact that as poker players, we focus way too much attention on the bottom line, and not the work it takes to get there.

By putting the spotlight on discipline and improvement, we not only feel more gratified, but we become much better poker players. In one swoop, we are both improving our level of happiness and satisfaction, while simultaneously increasing our output. Success is achieved before the war begins. Preparation and discipline then become the primary contributors to victory.

Okay so now you are considering the notion that maybe the games aren’t the problem, it’s your focus and drive. To that you add acceptance of a definition of success that centers on discipline and motivation, and not on the score at the end of the game. Now what are you going to do about it? Where do we begin to expend this flurry of positive and hopeful energy?

Start with the process. Spend more time of your day studying, reviewing, reading and watching, instead of actually playing poker. Think of your poker sessions as the secondary initiative, the primary one is simply to learn and try to get better. I don’t mean to say that you should necessarily play a lot less poker than you do. I mean that you should probably be putting more effort into improving. Become curious again. Why do we take the lines that we do? Why do we bet as much or as little as we do? Why does opponent x always perform action y in situation z as you notice while reviewing your hands against him/her? And what can be done to exploit that next time you happen to find yourself on the same table?

Reviewing your own sessions is one of the most important contributors to your success. Not only are you establishing reads on opponents you will almost surely play again, but also your knowledge of ranges stays very sharp. Essentially poker is about narrowing ranges to identify our opponents’ cards. When you’re not reviewing, take some time off every day and simply watch some of the other regulars play. Whether it’s players at your stakes or much better ones at higher stakes, watching others perform will help tremendously with the two objectives mentioned above and with countless others as well.

As poker players nowadays, we have a wealth of information to satisfy our poker curiosity. Books, forums, videos, articles, public reviews are all there because people are interested in getting better. Yet not many poker players actually view their improvement as the primary objective. This mentality alone can be a great contributor to you separating yourself and rising above the pack. Utilized properly and effectively, it can make you soar to new heights. Take advantage of all that our modern technological information age provides and start trying to be better poker players.

Motivation: The key to unlocking process for progress

In all my time as a psychology coach, there was no factor more influential, dramatic, and absent than motivation. Most of my students, and I would wager many poker players and humans in general for that matter, suffer from a lack of motivation. Now of course some less eager people will tell you they’re fine that way, and in their eyes they’re not suffering at all but actually quite content with their energy level. That’s fine, but for those among us who strive for continued growth, lacking motivation can be quite the ailment. This is in fact so common, important and complex, that it requires its own textbooks and courses at universities. Wait, it does have all that and more. That is why I will be dedicating articles specifically covering topics such as neurophysiology and the Dopaminergic Pathway. These deal with motivation and how it influences and is influenced by both psychological and physical characteristics. I’ll also cover recommendations to improve your study habits and becoming the best poker player you can be.

For the purposes of this article we will touch on some of the factors that influence our professional prowess as poker players. After all, we are ancestral creatures in a technological world. Our brains and bodies were not evolved to sit around all day in front of a screen. Leading stagnant lives without much physical exertion will hinder our brain’s natural propensity to release hormones which make us feel energized and happy. Whether it’s going to the gym, playing sports, running or dancing, staying active is integral to our success.

Another potential obstacle is isolation, and is a consideration that also requires its own article. Online poker can also be a very isolating job. We don’t travel to offices in a flurry of traffic and get bombarded by bosses or employees with demands, deadlines and other nuances of the traditional working environment. Although a welcome departure from the conventional aggravations, the subsequent loneliness of the online poker player at work can threaten our productivity. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Our physical and mental freedom demands we take all areas of our lives into our own hands and to push forward independently. This is true not only of our work ethic but also of the substance in our social lives. After all, unlike other professions we can decide, at all times, who we talk to, for what reasons and for how long. We have control over where we work, at which times, which days and on which continent. In that light, the nature of our profession allows for a level and flavor of social interaction more dynamic and fulfilling than that which a normal job could generally provide. Of course, we have to actually work at ours and are not simply flung into a social atmosphere and forced to interact.

Fortunately for us, we are now focusing on the process and simple improvement is our success. The result is more time out of our normal grinding environment. This could mean spending more time reviewing in nearby coffee shops, broadening our poker circle for more diverse viewpoints, or taking more time out of our lives to simply socialize with friends and meet new ones. Our goal is to augment our satisfaction and happiness by altering our definition and feelings toward success, while diversifying our methods.

Of course, by changing our definition of success to process rather than output, we create a greater variety of success inputs. Spending more time on studying now renders us more successful. Exercising and socializing more to increase our energy and happiness is a success in itself. The days of looking at our stats software to get an idea of how to feel are over. If it helps, erase your win-rate and profit from your stats software and take a look at it once every so often to get an idea of how you’re doing. Ultimately though, as long as you’re striving and working, those numbers will not matter; you are succeeding.

Going Forward

How many of you spend a large portion of your poker playing time trying to ensure you’re on the best possible seat, on the best possible table? How often do you look at other sites for games and try to diversify your site exposure? If you’re like many other poker players, you overlook these almost essential factors in being a successful online poker player.

I’ve heard many stories from the “Poker boom” era. The poker seas were rampant with schools of fish. Stacks would fly from every direction as bankrolls skyrocketed all over the world. It’s not that easy to make the same amount of money anymore. More work is required, more focus and dedication, more discipline and training and more health and happiness. That is a welcome challenge. If attacked properly and with vigor, the challenge of excelling in the online poker environment of today should greatly increase our energy and discipline while enthralling us with diverse and exciting experiences. Such control over our own lives is a unique circumstance, which must be nurtured.

Summary

Our objective now is to make the best decision on every action in every hand, and continuously strive, both on and off the tables, to ensure we accomplish that task to the best of our ability. By altering our definition of success and consistently improving, increasing and diversifying our efforts, we can reach new heights.

The games aren’t “dying”, the challenge is just beginning.