How do you avoid determining your sessions by amount won/lost?

[JRegs]

This is a concept that I have been struggling with for a long time.

When I play cards (online), I will usually play until I have won a significant amount. If at any point I am down, I will play until I am even. The worst part is....I know this is wrong. I know that I am getting paid by the hour, regardless of swings.

However, I don't like the feeling of walking away from the computer with a loss, and I certainly don't like the possibility of giving back some (or all) of my winnings.

This has led to "hit-and-run" situations on occasion, where I will leave the table a few minutes after sitting down if I win a huge pot. Similiarly, I will sometimes stay on the computer for hours, trying to regain my losses if I am down for the night.

Obviously, nobody likes the feeling of ending the night a loser. How do you deal with this problem?

Thanks for your advice.