Re: I get very upset with myself when I make a bad play ...
Cause and effect.
The action you take - is effect.
Your state of mind - is the cause.
Judging effects as good or bad is not helpful. The effect is, and can not be changed.
Using effects as reminders to examine the cause is helpful. Changing the cause will change future effects.
---------
Poker is so much inside your head that it is hard to see what is really happening. A more physical example would be a better.
A high jumper makes a jump that is not very high.
He could say - that was a bad jump, I made a mistake, I must try harder.
Or he could ask himself - How is my concentration? Did I get enough sleep? Have I been eating right? Have I been training enough?
----------
What I'm saying is this - his jump (or poker play) was not a mistake, he did the best he could at the time. If you are not happy with the jump, focus all your attention on the cause, not the effect.
|