struggling college student needs motivation

[Moyer]

I'm having troubles choosing a career path and I've had big problems with motivation recently in college. Even to the point that I may quit. Classes are not tough for me, but I'm still doing horrible. I just don't have any ambition to be there.

On the other hand, I love poker. I sit down and start playing at 8 o'clock, the next thing I know, it's 5am. Too bad I don't have the skills to play professionally yet or that's what I would do(or atleast try). I also have no problems reading poker book after book, studying them more than I've studied any one text book in my life.

I guess I'm just looking for advice. Maybe there's a profession related to poker that would be of interest to a poker player? Should I take a semester off and try to study and play poker as much as possible? Or maybe I should do this while being a part time student, only taking a couple classes a week?

All advice is appreciated.

[1800GAMBLER]

Hey. Psychology forum would be the best place for this kind of help.

I'll give you my own personal story since i can't influence you what's best for you. I'm at the moment taking a gap year our of school (i'm 18) while i travel around then intend to go back home to start university. I discovered poker around the same time of my final A level exams (last exams before university for the non english) and my grades dropped because of it, not enough to make me miss my university chance but only because of the work in other exams.

So when i start university i'm wondering if i'll drop out for poker, for a few reasons i think i wont.

- Playing for a living means the swings would have too much emotional effect over day to day life.
- I want a degree even if the math degree just becomes something to fall back on if do take up poker for a living and then hate it, backwards eh?
- The knowledge of the degree.
- You don't know were the degree could take you, while carrying on with poker for the rest of you life you can see now.

Those are mine. You may have more you may have none. It's your choice. At least test the waters in playing for a living first. If you do make a decision i wouldn't go as far as dropping the course right away.

Good luck finding out.

[daveymck]

I think you are probably having the same motivation issues many young people have particulary as you come to the end of your education and are suddenly faced with having to think about what career you actually want.

I suspect that cause of this poker looks like a easier glamourous alternative and with study and lots of play a living can be made, some people are making a very good living according to some of the posts we see here.

I would suggest if you are serious about being a pro then read david ross's posts on here about how he is doing being a full time poker player it will give you more of an insight in how hard it really is and the pressures that are there when playing for the rent money.

This may suit you fine now but what about if you want to get married have kids etc would you still want to live with those pressures then or would you prefer to have another regular living to fall back on.

Whatever path you choose the chances are its going to be hard work, probably boring at times but to be honest its adult life there are no real soft options, think about where you really want to go and what you want to do and act accordingly.

I would bear in mind if you go the poker route to examine what the trends may be in 5-10 years time ok poker is booming and increasing at the moment but who knows if that will continue long term.

[Moyer]

I just want to make sure that everyone understands what I'm thinking. I'm not seriously considering becoming a pro soon. I just don't know what I should do, but I know I love poker. And yes, I'd like to have a family some day, and I don't want to have to worry about paying rent when I have a down swing. Yes, I'd like more job security than poker probably has to offer. Then again, pros probably feel the same way.

Likely too big of a problem for you guys to figure out in a paragraph response. I'm just lost.

[daveymck]

So in essense you probably have two choices, continue your studies and grind out your qualification or leave and get a job.

Either way you can still play poker part time to enhance your earnings particular if you take the job route and have to start at the bottom.

I never did any post I guess high school equivilant (in the uk so left school at 16) but found that there is enough vocational training you can do in job that would allow you to get where you want to go so getting you college degree is not the be all of life. I am 30 now and was lucky with career choices so I currently work in IT earning over $100k a year, thats without any real post school qualifications.

As I said in my previous post its the adult world now you have to make choices (somtimes the wrong ones) if you are really unhappy then stop and do somthing else, if its just a midterm blip then grind through it and get your qualification.

I would suggest talking to your professor or whatever they are called over there, seek their advice, they will have heard this a million times before and will have some real solutions, maybe a change of class or take a break for a year or whatever, but dont tear yourself up over it its a big decision but this is the time to make it not in 10 years time when you are in a profession and realise its the wrong one.

Good Luck!!!!

[Schneids]

You have to try your hardest to stick with school. Even if you can't figure it all out now, the point is that it doesn't have to be figured out yet.

Sticking with school buys you more time to figure things out, while keeping the most possible routes open.

I am a college student as well.

Best wishes!

[CrackerZack]

Get a math or computer degree. When you're bored in statistics figure out the probability of making a royal flush in 5 card stud, then do 7, then add a wild card, etc. When you're bored in anthropology think about how the way people live would affect their poker attitudes. etc etc. I didn't play poker till after college (thank god) but when I was bored in college I would figure out all the odds on a crap table. I knew them already, but wanted to do it myself. Stuff like that. If you find a way to sort apply what is going on and turn it into something you like you'll probably pick some stuff up. You may miss a lot of the teachers point but at least you'll be entertained and be somewhat involved which isn't so bad for elective classes. Besides, when you graduate with a math or computer degree, finding work is easy and moving around both professionally and geographically is also easy. That flexibility can help a lot in finding happiness in the future. Good luck

Zack

[jasonHoldEm]

Probably most people are going to tell you to stay in school, yadda, yadda, yadda....

Probably that's the right thing to do, but I'm someone who spent seven years in college trying to figure out what I wanted...I tried a half-dozen different majors in the process, and ran up enough student loans to make my head spin. My point is some people just aren't wired like everyone else...maybe you're one of them...personally I wish I would have taken a year (or two) off from school to get my [censored] together. I probably would have graduated sooner than I did (or at least no later) and I would have had much better focus.

So anyways, if you're really not sure take some time off and figure out what you want to do (or at least get some sort of idea). A college degree is really just a union card, it doesn't matter what's printed on it (as long as it's not communications), but you're going to have a tough time finding a "real" job without one...so don't give up on school, but there's nothing wrong with taking a break either.

I hope that makes sense. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

J

[daryn]

man, your story is very similar to mine. i'm also in college, though i "should have" graduated in spring 2002. i have the same motivational problems as you seem to have. i have no idea what to "do in life" and have no idea about any career options. people ask me what i want to do, and i just have no idea. then people say, oh that's ok, nobody knows what they want to do.

i just really have no desire to have a "career" or any of that BS. i see a job as work. a place where you go to make the money you need to make.. not a place you love going to. that's just my idea of it.. maybe it's wrong, but whatever.. that's what i have grown up with.

in short, i can do nothing to help /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[bigpooch]

Playing poker is a tough way to make an easy living. It's
a very boring game at times and is clearly nonproductive.
On the other hand, I can think of other professions that are
just as philosophically unsatisfying and nonproductive! If
anyone has the skills and discipline, they can make a very
comfortable living just playing cards. Also, it's a game
where the kind of thinking leads to beating another game:
the markets!

[trillig]

Have you considered becoming a POKER dealer?

Pay is decent w/tips...

How far into your bachelor's are u?

-t

[jdl22]

Try taking a Game Theory course. There should be one in your econ department, maybe even in Poli Sci or Psychology. Game Theory is obviously ultrarelated to Poker. Even better for you would be a Behavioral/Experimental Economics course if that is available at your University.

Game Theory is more than studying games it is the study of what people do in strategic interactions against perfectly rational opponents. Poker Theory can be specific applications of Game Theory (such as the bluffing in TOP) but normally poker theory comes under the realm of behavioral economics. In behavioral economics one studies what people should do (or sometimes just what people actually do) in situations when the opponents are not perfectly rational. This is certainly more applicable to Poker especially low limit (anybody calling 3 bets cold with T5o certainly doesn't belong in the perfectly rational categorie).

As you can see I'm very interested in these subjects. I actually got interested in poker after studying game theory and experimental economics then watching the WSOP on ESPN. I am currently a Grad student in Economics.

Good luck with your studies I hope things get better for you.

[Moyer]

Maybe. How decent is decent?

I SHOULD be half way through my 3rd year. But I already transferred once(many credits did not transfer), and I pretty much bombed last semester, so I really have about a year and a half worth of credits. It sucks.

[MrGrob]

I never went to college, as I hated school with a passion, and had no idea what I wanted to do. I still do not, but have locked myself into the "American Dream" etc. I have credit cards, house, etc. AND I am stuck in the computer, or high tech world, as are many that have taken my path about the same time I did. The job is never rewarding, and is very unglamorous. Unless you are mega-stud, you just don't have any prestige at all. I basically consider myself a glorified mechanic in some ways. But I am stuck for now....

But, to the point. First, you must realize that this is your life, your game, your decisions. AND you must live with them. Whatever you do, do not substitute anything trying to make yourself happy, and don't chase a goal that is not your own. This is what I did. I drank, bought things, and did everything I could to make myself happy while I was working in a field I did not like, as I did not realize that I could have just left at the time. I worked to continue doing what I was doing because of work. The ironic thing (if I am using ironic right) is that I now have dug myself into a money pit of sorts that keep me from leaving easily, I am not happy, and I want the freedom back that I didn't realize that I had back then. Make sure you do not do the same thing. Keep as many options open as possible, and know that if you keep expenses low, you can do almost anything you want to. You may be working at Taco Bell sometimes to cover expenses, but you will be free to move anytime you want, to do just about anything you want. And if what you want to do involves school, make sure you keep that road open also...you never know.

I don't know if that makes any sense at all, and I don't even know if that will help. I just recall an economics professor showing us how much our education would cost, and how long it would take to pay back loans etc. It was at that time that I decided that I did not want to spend that kind of money or time on anything I could get from a college. That is why I have been accepted to UT, and 3 other schools, but have only been to community college twice...for a net of 0 credits (it is really like I have never been at all, as I withdrew both times before anything could count). I am finally to a point that I WANT to go study some things, but have trapped myself as noted above.

So think, take control of YOUR LIFE. Decide what YOU can live with, what YOU want, and what YOU need. AND ALWAYS remember that one decision now can affect the things to the positive or negative side depending on how you change. But either way, make sure you are as flexible as possible, and have as many options open to you as you can have with your choices...and then make them...live with them...and never regret them.

[trillig]

My estimation...

Dealer wages wise, easily over 50G's.

How?

Averaging 20 hands an hour, averaging $1 tip per.... + whatever small hourly rate they get.... and that $1 is probably low for a lot of them as you move up dealing higher limits...

-t

[TheArtist]

I know a few people who were in your situation,
including myself, who end up finishing their degree, but after college end up playing poker for a living anyways. I love poker to the point where I rather play poker than go work at a real job. I don't know if that is the right decision but it's the decision I made and it's the decision many pros with college degree has made too. Look at Andy Bloch(high stake pros) who finish law school, and now what does he do?

I am not advocating you to play poker for a living. I just want you to know that you are not alone. Many students who caught the poker bug are confuse too.

I suggest you keep asking that question everyday. If you ask long enough, you will find.

TheArtist



TheArtist

[Moyer]

You make a good point MrGrob. I really don't have any big expenses right now and as long as I don't do anything stupid soon(buy a new car, etc), I'll be able to keep my options open for awhile.

I've been able to understand everyone so far and really identify with what you all have said. My friends are all students so they can't figure out what my problem is. Nice to hear from people who've been there. This discussion is helping me a lot.

I've pretty much decided to take a semester off. I'm fairly sure if I go back I'll fail out. The most interesting prospect at the moment seems to be a professional dealer. There's a casino about 40 minutes from my house. It just reopened so I may have a good chance. So I guess if anyone has experience with that, my ears are open. Or any other experiences or advice that I might learn from. Thanks everyone.

[JTrout]

One step to consider in maximizing flexibility:
.
If you are single, find some way to buy a home or duplex, and get roomates who pay rent. If you can do this properly, you'll not only be able to live rent-free (or very close to it), you'll also be building some equity and a good credit report (which may come in very handy if you do decide to become a pro poker player!).
.
But this step should allow you to save some dough, and maximize flexibility.
.
Try to spend most of your money on things that will make you money.
.
Good luck.

[nykenny]

mate,

make sure you understand the purposes of poker before you make any life changing decision.

socialize
people socialize through poker, to kill time.

recreation
people have fun at poker, without losing too much

challenge
people find poker intellectually challenging, like chess

profit
some people can win consistently at poker, thus it's profitable for those (of us /images/graemlins/laugh.gif)

escape
some people use poker to escape from life, sad

where do you fit in? do you like to deal with these ppl all the time and take their money? whose money do you want to take? do you want to grind it out?

the reason I am reminding you of all these is that, when you play poker for a living, everything changes. this is why I keep my job and try to behave like a normal human being while play tons of poker /images/graemlins/grin.gif

anyway, have fun good luck and good skills at the tables!

Kenny

[Norm]

[ QUOTE ]
It's a very boring game at times and is clearly nonproductive.


[/ QUOTE ]
Poker is a form of entertainment, and is no more nonproductive than any other form of entertainment (think of everyone involved in movies, theater, fiction book writing, sports, games, etc.) What do you guys think in terms of the positive societal value of your online profession?

[Robk]

We should get together all the disillusioned 21 year old 2+2ers, move to Vegas and take it over. I graduate in 6 months /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[ResidentParanoid]

In some respects, no matter what you choose to do in your work life, it becomes a "job" after a while. I know people who work in factory type work. They don't make that much money, and every day is more or less the same. They're not learning anything new from day to day, but they are busy and they grind it out for a paycheck. I know another person who is a doctor. He makes a lot of money. He's not learning anything new from day to day, but he is very busy and he grinds it out for a paycheck. He also has a spectacular house, travels around the world with his family and buys whatever he wants when he wants it. I have seen many "professional" or almost full time poker players. After years at it, they're not learning anything new from day to day, but keep busy playing poker and grind it out for a paycheck. They usually make enough to get by.

So, pick your poison and go at it full force. Career, no career. High income, low income. Once you're established after some years of hard work, use your flexibility to do something new when you are bored. Just don't make excuses for not giving it your maximum effort most of the time.

I've always picked things that someone (or I) thought I wasn't good at, and then tried to prove them (or me) wrong. Whatever it is that motivates you, use it to get going. The alternative is to be bitter and disappointed when you "figure out what you want" and can't get there in a day because you haven't worked for years to get to it.

[Inthacup]

Honestly, do you think Internet poker will be around forever? It certainly won't be in the way we know it. Suppose congress was to pass some tough legislation on online gambling. What then? Are you going to grind it out in B&M cardrooms?

You should get your degree first. You may have dreams of playing poker professionally, but having something solid to fall back on is a precaution you should definitely take.

Cup

[DeezNuts]

I am in a similar situation but a bit removed, possible 5 years down the line where you are. I never played poker in college, but if I had, I may be in big trouble. I have been in the corporate world for 5 years now with a B.S. in Business from Berkeley and am frankly sick of the corporate life. Working to me is purely a means to and end. I gave my two weeks notice yesterday and am on top of the world. I plan on taking some time off and playing poker to make a little money to survive.

I already have a decent nest egg to live off of(due to poker), but I was able to comfortably save this by having a solid job at a major entertainment studio and playing poker in my off time. I would consider working for a few years and then really assessing your options at that point when you have a solid bankroll and backup options available to you.

As for me, I have very passively sent out some resumes to see what is out there and have actually interviewed at places that would be a better situation for me at about a 25% increase in pay(I have advanced to later stages in the interview process but plan on turning them down). But knowing that those options are there will make me more comfortable in playing poker to survive for the time being. Having 3 years at a big-name company and other strong experience will allow me to relax and play without too much stress(I do enjoy poker but I don't LOVE the game enough to play 40hrs/week). Also having a 401k and IRA gives me a bit of piece of mind.

Don't get stuck just playing poker without any other options. While I am taking time off I will also be looking for investment opportunities in real estate or other ventures with some friends that have some capital saved up as well. Although the future is uncertain, I am satisfied with the choices I have made to this point, I don't want to be completely enveloped by the poker scene. An important point is that it is difficult to make $100k/yr (consistently) playing poker for a living, but I don't feel it is too difficult in the business world.

It was a hard decision to make(as with most people I am resistant to change and society telling me I NEED to have a job), but as of now I am optimistic(until I start playing and getting crushed). Good luck to you in your decision, wish me luck as well!

DN

[squiffy]

Some colleges and high schools offer aptitude and interest inventory type tests. It may be worth it to take one and see if it produces any suggestions for a line of work, though you should take it with a grain of salt.

While you are young, it's important to explore a lot of different activities and summer jobs to learn more about your abilities and interests.

You should also sit down and take a hard look at your own life, prepare a resume. See what classes or activities you enjoyed in high school and grade school. See what your close friends and family like to do. Study your parents' likes and dislikes and career choices.

If you are lucky, you will have inherited lots of their abilities and interests. This is very common.

For both genetic and social reasons, kids often, though not always, select their parents' professions.

Children of actors, singers, artists, athletes, lawyers, doctors, professors, often, though not always, choose to go into and often succeed in their parents' professions.

Ultimately you are the only person who can answer this question.

Statistically, though, focusing too much time and energy on poker would probably be a big mistake. I think very few people have the ability and aptitude to make it big in poker. And unless you can be sure of a very strong likelihood of success, I don't think it is a wise bet.

The reality is 99% of us have to pursue jobs that we don't absolutely love every minute of the day.

I think one of the biggest problems in life is that school is not geared toward helping people make intelligent career choices. But it is such an individual decision that it is hard for any organization to provide competent advice.

I enjoyed studying history and participating in high school debate and chose to go into law. All in all probably a good choice. But not perfect. And you will always have to wonder about what would have happened if you had gone down other career paths.

But unfortunately, none of us has the time to explore 10,000 different career paths to see what we really enjoy the most and what we are best at.

We have to make the best educated guess we can with what we have.

If you don't like school, what do you like and what are you good at besides poker?

I enjoy watching tv, talking to friends on the telephone, eating ice cream, and going to movies, but it's hard to make a living doing that. Watching tv doesn't pay too well.

It's not enough that you enjoy poker. As some of the other posters have suggested you have to acquire the basic skills that will allow you to succeed in a wide range of professions, because it is still too early, probably, to identify a specific career path for sure.

Some rare individuals are lucky to have known from age 5 what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. And they were lucky enough to have the talent and connections to get there.

Take a Steven Spielberg for example.

But that does not mean that every person who is interested in motion picture making should actually take a risk and make going to film school and becoming a director a career choice. For the vast majority of people interested people, it is just not realistic that they can succeed and make a living at it.

You cannot identify the best profession or career path easily.

But you need to start with basic information about your likes and dislikes and your strength and weaknesses.

You can try reading books like What Color Is My Parachute. They won't give you answers. But they will help give you excercises and questions that MAY help you address the problem.

For example.

Do I want to work in doors or out doors.

Do I want to work with other people or by myself.

Do I like working with my hands? Do I like doing physical activities or do I prefer reading and writing?

Am I patient or impatient. About what kinds of things? I may be patient waiting for deer in the woods. But impatient waiting for other students in class to follow directions.

It's nice if you can identify a career you are generally interested in and have a general aptitude for. But no matter how lucky you are, there will be aspects of your career you will absolutely hate, so you will have to get used to doing them.

I mean even Spielberg probably hates some aspects of the Hollywood politics and movie making system. So much so that he eventually tried to form his own production company, I guess. And that probably took him a long time to achieve independence. So I am sure, despite his talent, he has experienced tremendous career frustration and dissatisfaction at times.

Even famous actors may not get the roles they want or may be forced to engage in vicious contract negotiations or may be forced to go on countless B.S. interviews to promote their movies, etc.

Singers may need to tour for long periods of time and be far from family and friends under tremendous pressure to perform night after night after night.

So while trying to focus on things that you like, don't forget you also need to develop the discipline to suck it up and do many things you don't like.

[Shaun]

Moyer, I am 25 years old and graduated from College last summer. I had nice grades and was planning on going to grad school. Of course, Grad School would cause me to really pile up the debt.
While waiting for my fiancee to graduate, I have been playing poker for a living. I had played for 5 years profitably before this. I was working also for a while, but found that my job was essentially costing me money by cutting into my poker time. I have been a "pro" since August. I do not plan on doing this forever, even though I still LOVE the game. At some point, I plan on using poker capital to finance a business and to enter the stock market. In this world it seems that it takes money to make money. When I was your age I had dreams of directing films, but the economic realities of that career path (and all that I have considered actually) seemed to push me more toward poker. I know that I am capable of creativity etc., but unfortunately in our world this is less marketable than other skills.
I have no interest in being a corporate drone who hates his life, his job and is married to the "American Dream" that corporate-consumerist America has created for me. A lot of what is deemed important by society is related to materialism, and this is why we are so unhappy as a nation. Since I realize I will hate my job if I do something I hate only for the money, I am doing something I love, only for money. I know that it doesn't build a better society, but my view of society is rather cynical I'm afraid.
My advice to you is to take some time off and get a job. Deliver Pizza or wait tables for a year. Maybe learn to deal poker. During this time, learn the game, and never treat it as gambling. I would also suggest that you read books on things other than poker and take an interest in the world outside of your own life. If you do this, you may find something to be passionate about that you never knew existed. You may then decide to go back to school (as I did), get some loans and grants, and relish the oppurtunity to LEARN. If you are going to college for job placement, you will probably end up disappointed. College degrees are commonplace and they aren't tickets to wealth. If you are going to go to school, do it because you want to learn, not because you want to be rich.
The reality is, though our society sells us on the virtues of material wealth at every turn, few of us will ever achieve it. But you are more likely to achieve it doing something that excites you- something that you can't stop thinking about. In order to find what this is, you have to go looking. If you don't see it in college right now, get out. If you end up seeing it in the world of poker, then jump right in. Whatever you choose, realize that the most successful people in this world all took risks- there is no safe path to happiness. Don't be afraid to do something unconventional if it makes you happy. If an when you do get back into college after exploring the world, you will probably find you are more motivated than ever before.

I must say that this thread is excellent. There are a lot of bright people that frequent this forum. Listening to what they have to say will always be helpful. Good luck to you.

[TheArtist]

Shaun,

A great post! You touch on many things I like to said, and said some things that really make me think. Thanks.

TheArtist

[daryn]

i would love to do this! i hear the living is cheap out there.. i sure would like to experiment with that for a year or 6 months or something

[Moyer]

I am not going to play poker for a living. Atleast not any time in the near future. I'm going to have to get a real job. Hopefully I can find a decent job that interests me. Then I'll play poker as much as possible in my free time, study the game, do some bonus whoring, etc. I also have a couple of other small money making ventures lined up. I'll have very little in expenses, so I should be able to save most of my income.

It's not like I'm a lazy person. I worked 20 hours a week all through high school and I worked at a factory on 3rd shift all summer. I guess I just hate school.

I've taken several of those career placement exams and they were all pretty inconclusive for me. Neither of my parents enjoy their dead end 9-5 jobs, so they don't really know what kind of advice to give me either.

I'll just keep my eyes open and see where the road takes me. As long as I keep my cash flow up and don't get tied down, I'll be free to do whatever I want.

[crockpot]

do you also like math a lot? if so, you're a lot like me.

i personally have an obsession with baseball statistics, and hope that a major league team will eventually give me a job deciding which free agents will make the best signings, which trades we make, etc.

my backup plan is financial analysis, since projecting the future of a stock based on performance values is basically the same as with a baseball player.

[LikesToLose]

Moyer:

You actually have quite a few things going for you!

First: You don't have a big monthly nut to meet every month. No mortgage, big car payments, kids, wife, etc
Second: You don't fear risk. If you did, you wouldn't be gambling very heavy.
Third: You appear to be fairly bright. (You said classes weren't that hard for you, but you lacked the motivation to be there)

The biggest things you seem to be missing is experience and drive. Maybe the lack of drive comes from a lack of monthly payments staring you in the face every month. I'm curious what the 'financial ventures' you mentioned were?

Personnally, I think the best way to make money is real estate. One guy suggested buying a duplex and getting some buddies to rent from you. While rental property is great, I would never have friends as tenants (again). The other problem you have with getting a rental property is the fact that you have no income to pay the bank back. First time buyers don't need to have much in the way of down payment or closing costs, but a steady job history is very, very important. If it weren't for the fact that I have been working full time in the same industry for about 9 years, no bank would have given me a loan at the same rates that I have gotten. Two years I think is the minimum to get you into a conventional loan. Plus, I lived in the same home for 7 years and built equity to use for 2 down payments.

I personnally think that the best way to make a decent amount of money is to pursue both the conventional and 'risky' at the same time. The conventional job will give you stability and credit worthiness, while the more adventurous can create significant income.

You need the college degree, but don't let that stop you from experimenting with other avenues.

Mark

[leon]

Here's my background, so you can take my advice in context. I'm 26, went straight thru high school to Duke undergrad, then med school. I'm currently in my intern year and will be an anesthesiologist in a few years, but currently I am already an MD.

I HATE WORK. By that I mean I'd rather play soccer, or fish, or poker, basically anything than go to work. Do I find work interesting sometimes? Of course. Do I realize that it's important for doctors, hell, anyone to do the best they can at their job? Yes, I do, and I try to do so. But I know I'll never be the "greatest" doctor out there simply b/c after a long day, etc I'd rather come home than stay and work longer. Most people out there are like that- they work to live, rather than live to work. You definitely seem like this type.

I've also played poker for several years now, and paid part of my bills during med school with poker. It's safe to say I studied poker way more in med school than medicine, to give you an idea about how much work I put in. I currently play up to 30/60 live; online I play 6 low limit tables at once and am making more than what the hospital pays me (interns don't make very much).

So, as to your situation- I'd STAY IN SCHOOL. Take some time off if you need, but try to get it done. The sad fact of the matter is a lot of doors just get slammed in your face without "higher" education. What's really sad is you never really see those doors even get closed- opportunities just don't seem to come up for you, people pass you over for higher positions, etc. It's tough. I can certainly sympathize with your situation but the fact of the matter is you only get one shot in life. If you pass over opportunities such as school, EVEN if you hate it, it might be shut to you later. Your goal sounds like it should be sort of what mine was- I knew I didn't like to work, but the fact is I need money to survive and so forth, so I might as well find something mildly interesting. Medicine does that for me- it's the best fit for me in terms of interest and pay. I certainly couldn't work behind a desk all day. Did I have to sacrifice to get my degrees? Yes, but this is all part of the plan- give up something now in order to keep options open in the future. Later if I just want to sail around the world I can do that with the increased cash flow- an option that wouldn't be open to me if I didn't sacrifice earlier.

As to poker, use it as a release. I seriously wouldn't go pro until you get your degree. Even playing part time as I do now can be a drag and this game has so many swings and pitfalls of frustration. Right now I make extra money from poker and it remains fun. If it stops being fun I can stop playing but I don't depend on it to put food on the table.

Do whatever you need to to get your head on straight, and if that means taking time off do that. But if you quit and flail aimlessly almost certainly you'll end up with very little. The stories of those who quit school and followed their dreams, ending up rich and happy, are more exceptions than anything else.

Leon