Bankroll Problem....Psychological?

[Bradyams]

I'm not sure if this is a psychological problem or not, but I can't figure it out, so help me out here.

Everytime I deposit online I always run my bankroll up quite a bit. Then it just flattens out, and fluctuates around a certain amount. It never gets any higher for some reason. It feels like I'm playing the same, but as soon as I start winning again I lose a bunch of big hands in a row to lose what I've won. Am I getting too comfortable when my bankroll gets up there, and playing too loose, and out of my playing style? I just don't get it. I feel like a winning player (especially at the low limits I play).

I'm not even sure if anyone can really help me with this, but maybe someone can.

Thanks

[BUD]

there is a theory that says we will recieve what we truly believe possible. or atleast keep what we believe possible. this is not a poker theory but rather a metaphysical religious idea. try the book as a man thinketh by james allen or books on prosperity. i just hide my money in different accounts and then i have pressure to achieve, don't feel too fat and am not aware of how my bankroll is growing unless i look in my ledger. just some random thoughts to try
bud

[Chap_Stick]

It is tough to say what the problem is with out knowing anything about your game. Most likely is you have some leaks to your game. Keep working on learning and applying. Then hopefully you can limit your unprofitable times to variance.

[Dan Mezick]

This is a common problem with market traders also-- not just poker players. An instance of this exact self-imposed limitation is described in "Trading in the Zone", a book by Mark Douglas.

In that instance, the trader (who was excellent) would always give money back to the market when he reached a threshold of around 75K a year.

He would just literally give it back, with his annual gain hovering at or near 75K whenever he did this.

The reason was that he had a deeply held belief that associated monetary success over 75K with certain people in his past he did not want to be like. He basically had a deeply-held belief that if he made much more than X, he was just like someone in his past he did not want to be like-- in ANY way.

Once this insight about the association was brought to light, he was able to experience tremendous achievement in his trading. This was done by neutralizing the old belief while concurrently conditioning new beliefs that were no longer limiting in this way.

The books of Douglas are extremely interesting.

The books are especially valuable if you have experienced at least one gut-wrenching downswing.

Those who have not experienced a psychologically deforming downswing may not understand the writer ideas completely.

Douglas calls a scary downswing event a "forced awareness" experience.

The books are all about the psychology of belief; as such they are probably not for everyone.

But maybe for you.

Trading in the Zone


The Disciplined Trader: Developing Winning Attitudes

[ QUOTE ]
Maximizing the trader’s state of mind is the key to successful results. Conflicts, contradictions and paradoxes in thinking can spell disaster for even a highly motivated, astute and well grounded trader. Mark Douglas, a trader, personal trading coach, and industry consultant since 1982, sends the message that "thinking strategy" will profoundly influence a trader’s success rate. Douglas addresses five very specific issues to give traders the insight and understanding about themselves that will make them consistent winners in the market.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Bradyams]

Thanks for the replies. Ok a couple more questions:

First off I'm a college student with low funds. Couple of months ago I deposited the minimum of $50 on PokerStars. I ran that up to about $150, and cashed out my original deposit of $50 so that I was playing strictly on profit. I was mostly playing $5 SnGs, and .50/1 limit (Yes, I know I was playing WAY out of my bankroll). I hit a huge downswing and since I was playing at too high of limits it hit me hard. My ultimate low was $2.90 after moving down and down and down in the limits. I was basically on a permanent tilt, it was rather stupid of me. Well I hit the penny tables and I hit them hard, I grinded my way out back to $50, and went to the .25/.50 limit tables where I stayed around $50 until I hit another small losing streak and was down to $25. I didn't want to go even lower, and decided I needed a break, just a couple of weeks to cool off and read a couple of good poker books. So I pulled the remaining funds from PokerStars.

During my break I was looking around at different sites to try when I decided to play again. I downloaded Pacific cause of all the talk about fish and they gave me $10 free to play with. So I gave it a shot, it was only $10 to lose, and it wasn't even my money so I went after it. I ran it up to $70, and today I decided I can't play at that site anymore. The loads of fish at that site is great, but the software is so inasnely horrible I couldn't stand it. So I'm in the process of pulling my $70 from there.

I'm gonna keep my money in Firepay until I get done reading atleast SSH. I think I want to go back to PokerStars with my $70. My questions are:

What limits should I really start at? I think even .25/.50 is out of that bankroll, but it is SO frustrating when you play hard at .05/.10 (the next limit down), take down a big pot, and it's only $1.50. The .25/.50 is even like that sometimes. Where should I stick to, and until when? I definitely will not hit the .50/1 tables again as I know they are way way way out of my limits. I think the $5 SnGs are even out of my limits, right?

Thanks again

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the replies. Ok a couple more questions:

First off I'm a college student with low funds. Couple of months ago I deposited the minimum of $50 on PokerStars. I ran that up to about $150, and cashed out my original deposit of $50 so that I was playing strictly on profit. I was mostly playing $5 SnGs, and .50/1 limit (Yes, I know I was playing WAY out of my bankroll). I hit a huge downswing and since I was playing at too high of limits it hit me hard. My ultimate low was $2.90 after moving down and down and down in the limits. I was basically on a permanent tilt, it was rather stupid of me. Well I hit the penny tables and I hit them hard, I grinded my way out back to $50, and went to the .25/.50 limit tables where I stayed around $50 until I hit another small losing streak and was down to $25. I didn't want to go even lower, and decided I needed a break, just a couple of weeks to cool off and read a couple of good poker books. So I pulled the remaining funds from PokerStars.

During my break I was looking around at different sites to try when I decided to play again. I downloaded Pacific cause of all the talk about fish and they gave me $10 free to play with. So I gave it a shot, it was only $10 to lose, and it wasn't even my money so I went after it. I ran it up to $70, and today I decided I can't play at that site anymore. The loads of fish at that site is great, but the software is so inasnely horrible I couldn't stand it. So I'm in the process of pulling my $70 from there.

I'm gonna keep my money in Firepay until I get done reading atleast SSH. I think I want to go back to PokerStars with my $70. My questions are:

What limits should I really start at? I think even .25/.50 is out of that bankroll, but it is SO frustrating when you play hard at .05/.10 (the next limit down), take down a big pot, and it's only $1.50. The .25/.50 is even like that sometimes. Where should I stick to, and until when? I definitely will not hit the .50/1 tables again as I know they are way way way out of my limits. I think the $5 SnGs are even out of my limits, right?

Thanks again

[/ QUOTE ]

play at where 1) you have at least 300 BB for & 2) feel comfortable in