Not afraid to lose
Poker is a game of incomplete information. Decisions that made are all relative; in some cases, two pair can be very strong, whereas some other times even a flush is a weak hand! Just because you have a "good" hand, (ie JJ) preflop, does not mean it will be the "best" hand at the moment. Just because you have a marginal one, at the same time, ie QT on a queen high board, doesn't mean you dont have your opponent in a world of hurt.
I make very marginal decisions at the table, and really, I'm only upset at myself when I dont carry forth with my judgement. If I'm not bankrolled for a game, (and sometimes pure variance makes me practically cry myself to sleep... ok, this is overboard...) then I dont play in the game. Well, I dont anymore.
I was playing 5/5 live a while back when I shouldn't have been, and 5/10 online when I really shouldn't have been. Not because of skills, but because the skills to do something and actually doing it are two entirely different categories.
What's the point of all this? I'm not really sure. To win money, on one hand, from the poker vantage point. If I get trapped or outplayed or lose to a better decision or whatnot, I hope I learn from it, and either avoid it or change my gameplan in the future. But atleast I will have the experience of that mistake.
I haven't really been reading SSNL enough to say things in stereotypical/judgemental tones, but one thing I have noticed is people hold to some ideas like "you cant play a big pot with one pair," or "reraising preflop there is chip spewage!" to far too much esteem. Everything is relative. Sometimes you just need to put your chips out there on a read or equity vantage point, and be happy doing so.
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