We should compare ourselves as poker players to machines. We start with a goal (input), start executing towards that goal to get a desired result (output). But as we all know, there are many steps in the middle, and it rarely goes in a straight line. We will encounter obstacles, difficulties, flaws in the machine that we should be looking to optimize in order for the machine to perform better and better. Previous principles have already highlighted the importance of these difficulties: "Pain + reflection = progress" and "The obstacle is the way".
Now I sometimes hear players say, “I've studied enough, im going to focus on grinding now” or something similar, this shows a flaw in understanding how success works. You have to look for continuous improvement, on a consistent basis. There is no end point, no place where we will go where we can stop improving because we know it all. There is no stagnation, you are either going backwards or forwards.
Ray Dalio (an inspiration for this principle series) calls this the 5 step process to improve your machine. In management this is the concept of Kaizen, and at Poker Ambition we call this the feedbackloop. The philosophy behind it is simple, you can always make or do things better, even if they seem to work well in a particular moment. The player who has their feedback loop on point, executes and improves it consistently will win in the long run.
Over the next weeks we will dedicate the PA principles to a mini serie of the feedback loop and walk you step by step through the principles that are in there. This is very valuable stuff and shows how success is generated, not by talent, IQ or hard work, but by creating a consistently improving machine around your poker playing. Succes is habitual, are your habits in line with the feedback loop? Lets find out.