We wait for the external to change us internal
Often
people will say, “Once I’m at this
level” or “When I’ve made this amount” or “As soon as I’ve managed to move to a
different country” then I will be happy, satisfied or successful. This often leaves them
feeling angry, frustrated,
or impatient in the
current moment. These feelings
that are cause by these things not happening yet, leaves them in a
negative state. The state you are in will determine what thoughts or feelings
you accept, believe to be true, and surrender to. So, when we feel scarcity for example, we will be more aware and highlight
information that comes in that resonates with that state because its equal to
the emotion. Now why is that a problem?
Our state, that in this example is negative, leads us to think more negatively. “Why aren’t we there yet, the world never gives me a break, it’s because of PokerStars” etc. This ends up leading to more negative feelings, which in turn leads to a more intense negative state, leading to more negative thoughts, emotions, etc. You can imagine the downwards spiral this can create. “You feel what you focus on” and the state you are in determines your focus. So, we first have to change internally to be able to change the external instead of the other way around.
Something for you to become aware of this month for yourself; observe your feelings, and link to the thoughts associated with these feelings. Then ask yourself, are these going to bring me closer to my poker goals? If not, find a replacement that will.
Our state, that in this example is negative, leads us to think more negatively. “Why aren’t we there yet, the world never gives me a break, it’s because of PokerStars” etc. This ends up leading to more negative feelings, which in turn leads to a more intense negative state, leading to more negative thoughts, emotions, etc. You can imagine the downwards spiral this can create. “You feel what you focus on” and the state you are in determines your focus. So, we first have to change internally to be able to change the external instead of the other way around.
Something for you to become aware of this month for yourself; observe your feelings, and link to the thoughts associated with these feelings. Then ask yourself, are these going to bring me closer to my poker goals? If not, find a replacement that will.
In the end it all comes down to the same things
Flow states, flow states, flow states
As mentioned, many times over, we have ranges
in our game (A-game, B-game, C-game). The range we are in will determine the EV bb/100 we are making. How big
the gap in winrate is between your A-B-C game depends on how much knowledge you truly
mastered (and not “know”).
The game we are most likely to bring to the table will depend on our preparation, the state we are in and how fatigued we are. As mentioned above, positive state will make you highlight positive things that happen, which in turn will make it feel like more good stuff is happening to you than bad stuff. This makes it easier for you to start off in your B+ game. You cannot expect to play your a-game all the time, so it is important to strengthen your B game. However, A-game, also known as flow states, aren’t a coincidence. They happen when you come well prepared, energized, in a good state, and with realistic expectations for what will happen in your session.
Do flow states occur randomly to you? Then try to analyze when it happens and what caused this. While doing this, make sure to focus on internal factors, so not, a good run of cards, since this is out of our control. Once you have identified these flow triggers, start making sure as much of them are present in your routine and daily grind, taking control over how much of your knowledge (and more) you are able to bring to the tables.
The game we are most likely to bring to the table will depend on our preparation, the state we are in and how fatigued we are. As mentioned above, positive state will make you highlight positive things that happen, which in turn will make it feel like more good stuff is happening to you than bad stuff. This makes it easier for you to start off in your B+ game. You cannot expect to play your a-game all the time, so it is important to strengthen your B game. However, A-game, also known as flow states, aren’t a coincidence. They happen when you come well prepared, energized, in a good state, and with realistic expectations for what will happen in your session.
Do flow states occur randomly to you? Then try to analyze when it happens and what caused this. While doing this, make sure to focus on internal factors, so not, a good run of cards, since this is out of our control. Once you have identified these flow triggers, start making sure as much of them are present in your routine and daily grind, taking control over how much of your knowledge (and more) you are able to bring to the tables.