Can thinking like a businessman stop us from going on tilt?

Over the past few months, on more than one occasion, my fellow blogger ‘Diamond’ has discussed the difference between winning and losing poker players. I guess this is the million dollar question we’d all like answering! Over the past few weeks I’ve given it some thought and want to throw another idea into the ever increasing reasons why we win or lose. Of course, as ever, I am more than happy to except my opinion could be narrow minded, naive or even wrong. Let me know if you agree or disagree and the reasons why.

Many years ago I read an article in the Sunday Times about the characteristics of a successful business person. More importantly, how these traits can be developed and used successfully in all businesses. There were many qualities on the list but two stood out; the ability to not recognise failure and the ability to look at the ‘big picture’ and realise what’s important.

The ability not to recognise failure.
Richard Branson is arguably one of the world’s most successful entrepreneur's. He started failing at a young age. He had many ideas, some worked quite well and some failed spectacularly. So after failing many times, how did he become so successful? One of his key qualities is his attitude not to recognise failure. When he gets knocked down, he simply gets back up off the floor, brushes the dirt off his knees and tries again.

Everyone has failed something in their life. It’s dealing with this failure is the key to decide how successful you are in the future.

Relating this to poker, from time to time we all lose. It’s inevitable, it’s part of the game. But should we take it to heart? Of course not. I think it’s important to understand why we lost a particular hand or game and then learn from our mistakes, but too many players let one set back effect their total mindset. They let moment destroy a whole day, week or month. These players focus on the negative, they doubt their own ability and wonder why it always happens to them. Inevitably, this effects their future decisions. The person who usually plays good solid poker is now on tilt all because they dwelled too much on one moment.

The ability to look at the ‘big picture’.
A few months ago, around the same time I read two books. One was called ‘The Psychology of Selling’ by Brian Tracy, the other was called ‘Become your own life coach’ by Fiona Harrold. Both had a chapter in the book which can be described in two sentences;

‘Only worry about things today that will make a difference in twelve months time. Everything else can wait.’

In both instances, the chapters talked about prioritising you time effectively and not worrying about the things that are not important. Sometimes we worry about the trivial things just because they take our mind of the serious stuff. Sometimes we worry about the trivial things because the important jobs are boring or hard.

So how does this relate to poker?

At some time or other, in some form, we have all gone on tilt. How much we tilt depends on the on our general outlook, attitude and demeanour at that moment in time. Let’s pretend you have just lost half your stack in a cash game and now feel the pressure to recoup your loss. By concentrating on the things that will make a difference in 12 months time you are helping yourself in two ways.

Firstly, on all future hands you should understand there is no need to chase one loss. One loss is simply a small ripple in a massive ocean. By trying to force the play, you are not playing your usual game. In the long run this will affect your bankroll even more. Simply, get back into your comfort zone and focus on your long term goal. Secondly, in any given situation you need to consider how your actions will affect your overriding thought process within the whole scheme of things. If you are facing a big raise, do you need to call? If you call, will you be risking your whole stack on the next card? Do you really need to play this hand at all?

Lots of players push on speculative hands. Sometimes this can be justified, but other times it’s because they’re not in the right frame of mind. Next time you are in that position, think to yourself; If I was to fold this hand now, by what extent will my game be affected in twelve months time. Visa versa, if I was to play the hand now and lose, over the next twelve months will my game suffer?

As I said at the start, this is just another theory in the massive complicated world of winning (or losing) at poker. Let me know your thoughts.

Going back to my game, my laptop has been playing up for the last few weeks, so I haven’t played at all.

I’m going to Cancun on Saturday for a wedding which should be good fun. Speak to you all in a few weeks.

Still 9 hours play. 180 seater sng’s = -$26.40, 9,18 & 45 seater sng’s = $0, cash tables = +$49.60

Yeah, I don't disagree with anything you've said. Makes alot of sense, thing about poker is , everyone think's they're unlucky, everyone who plays poker is a winner and overestimates themself. We are quite a dilluded lot.



There's a book that helped me out about a year ago called "The Poker Mindset: Essential Attitudes for Poker Success"....and "MBA Poker".....that kinda talk along similar lines you do.