You Can't Go Pro Without Already Being a Pro

[Voltron87]

your parents have worked hard so you could get an education and be an intelligent person who could make their own decisions, not so you would do exactly what they want. now you are starting to use this to make your own decisions, you are an independent induvidual with options and choices and can make them yourself. they should be happy.

[MicroBob]

first - i don't agree with some others that it's just so easy to blow-off your parents wishes and desires. yes...you're an adult and you're 22. But they're your parents and some family structures and pressures are very different from others.

I'm 35 and even I know that my situation is much easier with the parents giving an adequate amount of approval. If they were completely against it then that would make it tougher on me...even though they live in another state and I'm well into my adult-hood.
I would still do what I thought was best of course...but if the parents were completely disapproving that would certainly make it a bit tougher.



I think your strategy of looking at a different job is a good one.
The fact that they can't even accept you doing something else EXCEPT for the job that they 'groomed' you for is kind of telling.


Your problem isn't about how many hands you need to play before turning pro or anything like that.
It's about whether you can go in your direction...or whether you are going to continue to try to please your parents.


I suspect there would be an overwhelming amount of guilt on your part to leave your job. Because your parents are generally so miserable...and what they have been able to accomplish with you so far is their only sense of joy.


In the end, I do think you owe it to yourself to go down your own path...and that is likely going to be very different than the path the parents are trying to force you down.


You might want to consider to pursue the other job stuff.
Waiting for your Dad to say, "go for it" just isn't going to happen.
you're going to have to decide on your own whether or not to leave your current job.

[PokerBob]

there are many other things (beyond the 3 mentioned here) to consider before one decides to give going pro a shot.

[Soul Rebel]

lehighguy - I was in a similar situation for over a year and then quit about a month ago. I'm a little older, 24, and I spent a year and a half out of college as an analyst with a commercial bank. While this was obviously a lesser job than what you've got, what matters is that we both hate it. Mine was not nearly as intense as wall street, but I hated the culture (very sales-driven) and hated the work. My workweek wasn't nearly as bad, more like 40-50 hours a week, but I hated waking up in the morning and going to bed at night because I dreaded going to the office. By October of this year, I had already decided that I would be quitting this Dec (bonus time), when they told me that I was being relocated to a new office, and that I was expected to commute almost 2 hours each way, in South Florida traffic. I decided that was it and told them to shove it and quit (it's fun telling people at work that you can make more money playing poker, they never know what to say). That was Nov. 1. I was pretty sure that I could make at least as much money, if not more, playing cards until I found a new job.

Bankroll-wise, I only had a $3-$4k bankroll when I quit, after coming off a huge downswing at the 5/10 shorthanded. It sucked having to go pro with such a small roll and only a year's worth of taking poker seriously, but I had a month's worth of expenses saved, so I figured I had that long to build my roll up before I had to start living off of it. Obviously there was some risk there, so I lined up a buddy who would stake me if need be, dropped down a level to start off, and made sure I was always playing my best game. I can't remember what you said your bankroll is, but you're clearly a good enough player where you can get it back up to where you want it rather quickly. With no job tiring you out, I think its very feasible to start with a roll below what you'd like.

I've been amazed at how much better I've been playing and improving this month. I've spent it mainly learning NL, and that's going very well. The main thing with my improved win rate is that I'm not coming home from work and playing tired. I no longer want to get x number of hands in before bed, I play when I'm in the mood and I'm rested. That alone made a huge difference in my win rate. I wouldn't let the pokertracker numbers and the bankroll make this decision for you, have confidence in your game. Like you, I have no idea what my next job is going to be, quite possibly it will have nothing to do with finance, for the same reasons you talked about. But I'm enjoying the poker lifestyle enough that I'm going to take my time figuring out what the hell I want to do. I hope this helps, good luck bro.

it is possible that you give poker a try and make your parents proud by doing what you love(if you are very successful at it). If poker didn't work out as you had expected, then sure your parents will be like I told you so and then you can say, yes dad, you did......and then get a job again. no love lost.

[NorthernGuy]

If you want to quit your job and play poker, then do it. Remember to first pay back your parents for all the money they paid for you to go to school, since you are going to waste the degree they paid for.

[SmackinYaUp]

Soul - I don't think you made a retarded decision going back to law school. It's only another year of school, its not like you're in prison rotting away doing nothing. Plus, even if you don't become a lawyer you have the knowledge and experience that not many people can say they have. You still have an extra degree, and later on in life, it might come in quite handy.

i sent you a PM

[xtingshun]

I"m really enjoying this whole thread as for once, almost everyone has something good to add...

I'm 24, I served 4 years in the Navy, I got out in August 2003. When I got out, I got hooked up and got a job at a local radio station as a producer/DJ. (I had alot of Pro-Tools and Cool-Edit expierence, not to mention a friend there). In the Navy I was an IT, trained mostly in Sat. Communications. (Under paid cable guy)

I recieve full medical from the Navy, as I involved in a work related incident overseas. I quit the radio station after almost 2 years and decided to go to school and get my GI Bill. I get a little over $1000 a month just to be enrolled in school full time. I go to a really inexpensive junior college.

I've played for the last 4 years and I really enjoy playing live, 4/8 10/20 area. I've recently done alot of studying on bonuses and rakeback and the internet game in general.

I know my family would not approve of me making this jump but then again, all I"m doing is school full time anyways. So I really have nothing to lose. I have 2k that i could afford to throw away if I am really that horrible ( I don't think I am) and as soon as finals are over I'm depositing the money and taking a full time stab at it over the break Dec. 13th - Jan 17th.

My goal is to double my bankroll. How feasible is that? I'm thinking it is. But I know it just depends on what i play, etc. I'm thinking 3/6?

I think after the Navy I really need to do something that makes me happy. I think everyone deserves to do what makes them happy.

Just think when we have kids, maybe we'll actually be accepting of this sorta behavoir and the phone calls saying "I'm turning into a full time poker player!"

Who knows if poker will even be on the map that far away. I'm hoping.

[celiboy]

The thing is that if you are making 70K in a decent career and take time off to take a shot at poker, it will be very hard to find a job since you will have to explain why you left your previous job. No job that pays that much will let you take that kind of leave since you are needed (as evidenced by the 60 hours worked per week). Careers that pay 70K+ don't like people who quit, for whatever reason.