My biggest fear in my goals is not having the time I want to commit to poker. I have a LOT of free time by most people my age's standard. I don't have any kids, I have a job where my hours are set, and a girlfriend who supports my goals. I have no misconception that I will be able to sit and play online poker 8-10 hours a week and become a legit player again. Nothing in this life comes without work. True success comes from thousands of hours of work.
So can I make poker a priority? and if so-- how much of a priority does it need to be for me to improve at a pace im comfortable with. How many hours is enough? 20? 30? 50? who knows... I think I just have to go through and make poker a priority. To give up the other less important vices that I have (Warcraft, Video games, sports) and really focus on becoming a better poker player. By the new year my goal is to be putting in at least 40 hours a week playing poker. That shouldn't be too far fetched as I currently play Warcraft at least that much now. From there we will have to take it on a case by case basis, if I can play more, if I can't play that much. I don't necc. believe in setting abritary numbers as goals, such as playing x number hands.
Right now--the goal is to just play--Grind--
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Starting out: Everyone has a beginning...
Back a few years ago when I was younger my career goal in life was to become a professional poker player. I had a drive, the time, and the effort to give it a really good go at it. Though I lacked what could be the most important skill a poker player could have. Discipline. I got a bit reckless, went broke a few times, and eventually wasn't able to handle the inevitable swings of a poker player. At the time, I had no job, my life revolved solely around playing the game I love.
My living situation allowed me to put in the time into poker that was needed. I was able to put in those 15 hour sessions-- Sleep for 5 hours-- Wake up and do it again. In that time I was able to put in thousands of hours of pokers and see hundreds of thousands of hands. Finally, my living situation changed, and I was unable to handle it.
I stopped playing competitively. I still played, but at much lower limits and not nearly as often. I ended up getting a steady 9-5 job and trying my skills in the corporate world. Leaving the dreams of a jet setting poker star behind. Its been 3 years since I've done any serious poker, I have never stopped thinking about the game. I still pick up many books and would put in a couple hours here and there for fun. My professional life picked up a bit, as I became pretty successful at my job considering (I started as an entry level position-no college education) but I look back on the last 3 years and how much I've changed. Grown up.
Recently I won an award at my job for employee of the year. With it comes a nice cash bonus. I am going to take that money and see if my thousands of hours of poker combined with my new found discipline and security can make me the poker player I always wanted to be.
It will be an incredible amount of work and dedication--but I think one more shot at my dream is worth it.
My living situation allowed me to put in the time into poker that was needed. I was able to put in those 15 hour sessions-- Sleep for 5 hours-- Wake up and do it again. In that time I was able to put in thousands of hours of pokers and see hundreds of thousands of hands. Finally, my living situation changed, and I was unable to handle it.
I stopped playing competitively. I still played, but at much lower limits and not nearly as often. I ended up getting a steady 9-5 job and trying my skills in the corporate world. Leaving the dreams of a jet setting poker star behind. Its been 3 years since I've done any serious poker, I have never stopped thinking about the game. I still pick up many books and would put in a couple hours here and there for fun. My professional life picked up a bit, as I became pretty successful at my job considering (I started as an entry level position-no college education) but I look back on the last 3 years and how much I've changed. Grown up.
Recently I won an award at my job for employee of the year. With it comes a nice cash bonus. I am going to take that money and see if my thousands of hours of poker combined with my new found discipline and security can make me the poker player I always wanted to be.
It will be an incredible amount of work and dedication--but I think one more shot at my dream is worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)