Knowing vs doing

[Stuey]

My goal is to change my poker playing style from loose aggressive to tight aggressive. I know what I want to do and why. I have read and learn how to do it. I have had great success when I do it. But then for some reason I stray back to my natural tendencies.

I see this in other areas of everyday life often. Anyone who smokes knows it is very likely to kill them someday but they keep doing it. Alcohol abuse, overeating, and a lack of exercise are other examples that we all know are destructive activities. But the knowledge does little or nothing to prevent us from committing these mistakes.

So my question is. Why is knowledge not a strong enough motivation to cause a change in behavior?

PS Worst part is I don’t lose enough money when I play bad poker to force me to change my style. I have stopped smoking, drinking and exercise regularly but still eat like a pig. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I think this is only because I don’t get overweight. Is negative reinforcement the only cure?

[Dov]

Maturity is the cure.

Hopefully, you'll grow out of it before too much damage is done.

[shadow29]

My advice that I give is better than how I play. The difference isn't enormous, just little things like seeing a check/call line on the river or a raise the turn line.

Anyone know why?

[AncientPC]

Because it takes effort to change. It's a lot easier to do whatever it is you do on autopilot.

There are a lot of times I make horribly bad calls / raises, but since I'm multi-tabling I usually can only do whatever comes to mind first and instantly regret it. Stuff like calling a big river reraise with the nut straight on a flush or paired board.

[Mike Gallo]

Stuey,

Great post.

Welcome aboard. I think you know the answer.

[Stuey]

Yah but hell everyone wants a shortcut somedays. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Stork]

[ QUOTE ]
My advice that I give is better than how I play. The difference isn't enormous, just little things like seeing a check/call line on the river or a raise the turn line.

Anyone know why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because when you have alot of time to look over a hand, you weigh all the alternatives and can then decide on the best line to take. At the tables, you don't have that time, and just rely on instinct.

[smartalecc5]

if you want to play a wide range of starting hands prefop, playing on 5 or 6 person tables - and then you can outplay them after the flop. I play almost any hand at paradise's 5 person 50 NL table and have won consistently.

[ACW]

I did a change management module in a course a few years back. It gave one model which was based on needing three things to be in place to achieve change.

1) The aspirational image of how you want things to be.
2) Knowledge of what steps to make to achieve the change.
3) Disatisfaction with the status quo.

Looks like you have 1 and 2, but lack 3, just as you were suggesting.

[Stuey]

[ QUOTE ]
I did a change management module in a course a few years back. It gave one model which was based on needing three things to be in place to achieve change.

1) The aspirational image of how you want things to be.
2) Knowledge of what steps to make to achieve the change.
3) Disatisfaction with the status quo.

Looks like you have 1 and 2, but lack 3, just as you were suggesting.


[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you for posting this. Makes things very clear, I will try to remember this. And stop making excuses for myself when I strugle to change. More importantly, in everyday life, and in time at the poker table as well. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]