OT: Unsatisfied with goals acheived

[nyc999]

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For example, I'd like to make a final table at a televised poker event. Something like a WSOP preliminarly event would be nice. Seriously.

But this is a silly goal for a number of reasons. I have never even been to vegas let alone played in a big buy-in tourney. Also, how can you set a goal on something so subject to variance when at most, if I sacrificed an uncomfortably big chunk of yearly profit, I could only play one or two anyways.


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Most big tournaments can be reached via SNG qualifiers. I think if your real goal is to make final tables in these tournaments, focus your playing time on these satellites.

Also, I agree with the post which talked about 5 - 10 year goals. It puts everything you are doing in perspective, and it might make it easier to sit down and play every day.

If not, you've already reached your goals for the year - why not take a break for a few weeks and then re-evaluate.

I know it's not really the type of recognition you are looking for. But I would just like to say that I have read with facination some of your posts in the archives, and at least this little fish testing the waters of poker has a lot of respect for you [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[zipppy]

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I just don't have the motivation to put in the hours, and I think a part of me seriously doesn't even believe that I could make a killing. I don't know why I don't believe it, but I guess I just don't.


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Hi Brad-

This is where I'm at. Completely. I'm either afraid of failure or I'm afraid of success, and it holds me back from making it to the "next level"; perhaps it's the same for you.

I don't think it's foolish to want success at the highest levels. It's true that the big buyin tourneys are too big for most bankrolls. I like Fnord's advice, and perhaps you can set a goal of creating a bankroll over 5 years or so that will allow you to take shots at these bigger tourneys.

In the poker game of life, it's time for your c-bet. Make it a strong one.

-Zip

[stupidsucker]

If anyone knows how it feels to be "unsatisfied" with goals and poker... It is me.

I get so down on myself. The thing is, for the first year of my professional career I was lazy and not goal oriented at all. When I moved back to the bay I started focusing on al kinds of long term goals. Since then,..... nothing. Just doesnt make sense.

[PrayingMantis]

"The wise man strives to no goals, but the foolish man fetters himself."

Seng-T'san, Hsin Hsin Ming (Verses on the Faith Mind).

[Irieguy]

Brad,

I know how you feel when you say that you think you should be taking advantage of the current on-line poker environment more than you are currently. I feel that way all of the time, and we all know that it is not likely to ever be quite as lucrative as it is right now.

We tend to think that just because poker is as soft as ever right now, we should be playing as much as feasibly possible. But I know several players who play poker 12-20 hours a day, and none of them are exactly the picture of health, happiness, and well-being.


What exactly did your profit goal do for you this year? Did it help you play better poker? Did it make you happier?

Clearly your primary objective with your poker career has little to do with profit, since you met your profit goal and are still left feeling dissatisfied.

In your reply post you get to what really matters to you with this game. You would really like to acheive a level of success that publicly legitimizes your efforts. That's a very reasonable, and human, ambition.

But as you know, whether or not you acheive something like a WPT final table has little to do with your mastery of the game. Still, it's what you want and you need to try if you want to feel better about your pokerlife this time next year.

So, here's my suggestion:

1. Spend a day seriously contemplating your poker goals.
2. Write these goals down on a piece of paper.
3. Light the piece of paper on fire and watch it burn.

Hopefully this exercise will help you purge the restrictive, self-loathing poison that is goal-setting from your conscious and subconscious mind.

Then play poker when you want to. Play each hand the best way you can. Take shots at big events whenever you are able. Have fun.

Irieguy

[tigerite]

Great advice, Irie. That's pretty much what I've been doing. If I don't really feel like playing at any time, I try not to beat myself up about it, and don't. But then again, it's just a hobby to me, and not my work, so it's probably easier for me to say that.

[SuitedSixes]

Brad-

Here's my take on your desire to play (and succeed) at poker on a bigger stage:

I am often bothered by the predatorial nature of playing poker for a living. I succeed because I have a better understanding than 90% of the players who play at my buy-in, which really doesn't feel like much of an accomplishment sometimes . . . I just suck less than everyone else. By wanting to be successful at something like the WSOP, I think you are just trying to take your game to a point where you are proving your skills against (more) better players.

Also, you set a goal to make pooh-bah, and you're not even close. You have 2 1/2 months, get busy posting porn links, "NH"s, and quoting what others have already said, and you should make it easily.

-Brian S

Become a Buddhist. All this wanting's no good for you; just do stuff and enjoy it for no particular reason.

[zipppy]

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Also, you set a goal to make pooh-bah, and you're not even close. You have 2 1/2 months, get busy posting porn links, "NH"s, and quoting what others have already said, and you should make it easily.


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NH.

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