Things have certainly changed in a very short time. Today’s game is dominated by the astute, the open-minded, the reasonable, and the most disciplined players. Poker has been known to bring out the worst in people. Egotistical personalities have their moments in poker, and a few have gained worldwide coverage but the rise and fall of high strung mental cases is nothing new in poker.
The poker world is filled with players who run good for a while, and misinterpret their short term success as an acceptable benchmark for their future winnings. Creativity flows from the minds of old and young players alike, but common sense is much harder to come by. The true mark of a poker player is how he/she reacts while on a horrible run.
Becoming a professional poker player takes a serious commitment, and you have to put your entire heart, mind, and soul into the game for long periods of time. Because of this, a lot of yourself worth becomes tied to your success at the tables. No matter how good you are you are going to have big losses and long periods of time when things are going badly. This can have a very negative effect on a person’s mentality, and ability to be productive and enjoy life outside of poker. But if you love the game, and have the talent to succeed, then nothing should discourage you from playing poker for a living. The bottom line is that even though there are negative aspects, it can be a very rewarding and enjoyable career.
Just keep in mind; it’s a hard way to make an easy living.
