[AceofSpades]

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Basically im stuck. Im stuck because going from 150-200k a year to 30-40k a year is a huge difference.

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I'd like to have this problem. Just curious, what stakes/games are you playing now and how did you arrive at this point? Your parents/family/girlfriend are probably more concerned about the possibility of you not making steady income, or the possiblity of you losing it all on a downswing. With that kind of money, if you save aggressively enough for a little while, you probably could easily invest enough to give you a pretty much safe income for life. Once you do that, then you are pretty much free to continue doing poker, but you don't have to do it to pay the bills, you'd have the opportinity to pursue other interests (like a fulfilling job/travel/hobbies/volunteer since you won't have the pressure of having to make money. When you get to the point of having 40k or so, steady income coming in, I think that would reassure your parents.

Is the reason you don't feel like you am "doing something with your life" because you are home most of the time playing online and not really doing much else? Or just because your career is not a typical one? I would say that a lot of people find meaning/enjoying social interaction from a career. If that is something you want/are not getting from poker, then having enough passive income coming to cover all expenses in would totally free you up to find meaningful things to do with your time. Retired people do it, but it does take a little adjustment or so I have heard.

Joseph