I should be able to deal with this 'professional' factor, but...

[Bigwig]

I'm having trouble.

As many of you know, I've cut back my practice to play more poker. Professionally. Semi, I guess. Working my way to full-time soon.

Despite that my 'regular' job had big time swings (100% commission), I never lost confidence. But I seem to everytime I have a downswing in poker.

Is there any psychological explanation for this? Is it a task vs. skill oriented mindset? Comparable to what athletes might go through?

[Degen]

I know personally that I play a lot better poker when poker is not my only source of income.

I am self-employed and that is pretty similar to being straight commission...the more time i put in, the more money comes out the other end. though i spend a lot more time playing poker than i put into my company...though i still don't like to think of myself as being a 'professional poker player' for the same reasons you've stated here...the swings do some nasty [censored] to my psyche and emotional stability.

when i'm losing at poker, i don't play...when i'm running bad, my company does a lot better because i'm not in the game, i'm working on the company. though when i'm running good (like now) the company hurts cuz i drop it for poker (i'm currently in vegas lol).

so for me, and i'm sure this is different for everybody, having that balance helps a lot. even if at the end of the month i played poker with 75% of my hours, i still don't feel like i'm depending on the game or i have to be playing. if poker were my only source of income, i'd have to play regardless.


just my two cents, hope that helps some.