Confidence, composure and accepting variance
Posted by Daz
Posted by
Daz
posted in
Poker Journals
Confidence, composure and accepting variance
I'm not too sure when i will be grinding again (my brief bout of LIVE Play ended dismally a few hours ago) BUT when i sit down to my next poker hand i want strive for a mental state that encompasses these 3 things:
CONFIDENCE - going with my gut instinct. The amount of times i've read the hand correctly and then decided to take a "lesser low variance route" is pathetic. I see players opening/3betting wide and instead of pouncing i just fold my rags. I tell myself that if i'm 3betting/4betting here i have way too many bluff combos and they will exploit me... but they won't, i didn't game select only to grant these players the ability to fight back, its why i'm in the game in the first place. Maybe there is an argument for still folding J9o ... 85o versus 3betting or maybe i should just pull the trigger.
COMPOSURE - during LIVE Play make sure i never reveal my emotions/strength/weakness. Overall my goal is to stop whining like a little bitch every time i have a losing session or lose a 500bb+ pot OR any other time things don't turn out favorably for me. So i've been on another downswing, so my bankroll is depleted. i need to man the fuck up and get shit organised. I have some good habits in place, but now is the time to step up and truly push for REAL success. I need to live, breath SUCCESS and take REAL ACTION everyday to reach my goals.
ACCEPTING VARIANCE - to further elaborate from Composure, I don't think i've understood just how this game works. there are so many variables before one truly feels they get the result. AND so many cognitive biases at work, some i know of some i don't. I have to internalize and accept the nature of the game and get on with making the best decision i can. AND when my stack gets shipped across the table, i need to be able to reach into my pocket, take out another buy in and play the best poker i can, believing in my ability to outplay, outwit and outfox my opponents, knowing that i am there living my life to its full potential and working my ass off to get to what i want most.
.. the only thing left is for me to decide what i TRULY WANT and WHY i want it so bad
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good post.
I think one of the biggest issues that come about during a bad downswing is feeling like a victim. All you have to do is read someones posts whos running bad and their vocabulary just reeks of it. It kinda goes with accepting variance, but I think its different. I think lots of people feel like they understand variance, but then still feel like a victim of it. As Im sure you are well aware, its one thing to know all the stuff you outlined in your post and know thats how you should feel and think, its another to actually truly feel that way. Its super fucking hard, which prolly is good because if you can actually master that zen state, you have a really big edge over the 95% of people who cant. I think feeling like a victim just makes the whole mental process harder and makes it easier to fall into a self fulfilling prophesy "uh I run so bad, I never win, oh look, I lost again" and you can start to miss the mistakes you are making, because its not you that's the reason for the losing, its the universe hating you thats the reason. How many people on a huge downswing swear they arent playing bad, ("I've been playing my A game the entire time!!") they are just running bad, and refuse to listen to anyone who says otherwise. Even tho its obvious from the outside that they arent on their A game anymore.
Exactly, i'm not too sure how i'm going to fully internalize these mindsets but i definitely have been playing worse and its about time i accept things for what they on and move forward.
I know from mental game theory that there will be times when i slip back into some bad mental states BUT i want to make a conscious effort to make things better again mainly through writing and affirmations/incantations, reading through my vision/goals/objectives after my exercise each morning.
Best of luck to you, Daz. I'll be rooting for you.
Looks like you're back :) GL, Daz!!
Really like your thoughts on being composed, specially for live play. I don't want anyone to know when I have a tough decision or what I'm thinking, or if I'm having to think - after some practice I can now table my hand when it's my turn, whether it's the nuts or 7high.
Best of luck :-)
I've re-structured my goals/targets/objectives for 2014.
Daily
1) Early Morning Routine 1h-1h30. Each 1/3 Exercise 'Get-Up-And-Go'/Learning/Affirmations
2) Website Development and Blog 1h
3) Mindset: Maintain Confidence, Composure and Accepting Variance
Weekly
1) Nutrition. Avoid sugar. No alchohol. Remove starch wherever possible.
2) At least three intense workouts per week. Cross fit. Boxing.
3) Results: At least $1k Profit
...
[to be continued]
Strong and inspiring dedication. No doubt in my mind that you will succeed, Daz. Good luck and I hope variance is kind to you. ;)
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