We are always on the lookout for some great poker advice and with September being self-improvement month I thought it best to focus, as always, on the mental aspects of poker. The psychology of poker is an important tool to try and learn and grasp when trying to improve your poker skills. You can focus your attention on your opponents, but I believe the best piece of poker advice, or life advice for that matter, is to focus on yourself.
Poker Advice 101: You are what you think
As Thomas the Tank Engine regularly reminds himself, "I think I can"
Simply put you can achieve whatever you believe, in other words the power of your mind can have an enormous effect on your success. If you truly believe you are able, if your imagination can dream it, then it is possible for you to achieve it.
You are the only one that can control your own thoughts. You have the choice to think positively or negatively. If you think you will fail, chances are you will fail, however, if you think you will succeed your subconscious will find ways to enable you to succeed. You can become what you think.
Mind over matter.
How does that relate to poker I hear you ask?
An example might be, let's say you have an opponent in a regular game that you feel has a little more experience than you, they have had more success than you and often dominate you at the table. The power of your mind can work in different ways. Often players will develop a complex against these opponents. Believing defeat is inevitable as their opponent is better than them. Your subconscious will find a way to lose for you; after all you are suggesting to your mind you are not good enough.
Confidence starts in belief, success starts in the mind.
In this situation you need to train your mind to focus on the positive, believe in yourself, think about what you want to become. You are what you think, that is simple poker advice. If you ask your subconscious to make you a stronger player, your mind will search for ways to do this. Your mind will look for ways to learn, to heighten your skills, to become a better poker player and you may even begin to learn more about this opponent. Your mind will become more aware of you and your opponents.
A simple way to focus on what you want is through positive affirmation. In other words have a statement that defines what you want and read to it yourself, out loud, daily; once in the morning and once at night. Constantly remind yourself what it is you think and what it is you want to become.
For example you statement may read: I am the best poker player I can be.
This is a very basic example; you may want to include a tournament you may want to win. Be specific. Such as on the 1st December 20. I will be the best poker player I can be and have just won the... tournament, I am very proud of what I have achieved. However, be realistic. If you've just started playing and you want to make a statement that you will win the WSOP in 6 weeks, it may be a bit out of your reach. Not impossible, simply not easy.
Furthermore, you might find having a statement like I will win the lottery defeats the purpose of the power of positive affirmation and the point of training your mind. Include things in your statement that involve other things in your life too, like your job, money, relationships and health. It is simple poker advice, you are what you think. And we do have the power to encourage our mind to think about what we want, therefore we can become whatever we want. The power is in our hands.
Poker Advice 101: You are what you think
As Thomas the Tank Engine regularly reminds himself, "I think I can"
Simply put you can achieve whatever you believe, in other words the power of your mind can have an enormous effect on your success. If you truly believe you are able, if your imagination can dream it, then it is possible for you to achieve it.
You are the only one that can control your own thoughts. You have the choice to think positively or negatively. If you think you will fail, chances are you will fail, however, if you think you will succeed your subconscious will find ways to enable you to succeed. You can become what you think.
Mind over matter.
How does that relate to poker I hear you ask?
An example might be, let's say you have an opponent in a regular game that you feel has a little more experience than you, they have had more success than you and often dominate you at the table. The power of your mind can work in different ways. Often players will develop a complex against these opponents. Believing defeat is inevitable as their opponent is better than them. Your subconscious will find a way to lose for you; after all you are suggesting to your mind you are not good enough.
Confidence starts in belief, success starts in the mind.
In this situation you need to train your mind to focus on the positive, believe in yourself, think about what you want to become. You are what you think, that is simple poker advice. If you ask your subconscious to make you a stronger player, your mind will search for ways to do this. Your mind will look for ways to learn, to heighten your skills, to become a better poker player and you may even begin to learn more about this opponent. Your mind will become more aware of you and your opponents.
A simple way to focus on what you want is through positive affirmation. In other words have a statement that defines what you want and read to it yourself, out loud, daily; once in the morning and once at night. Constantly remind yourself what it is you think and what it is you want to become.
For example you statement may read: I am the best poker player I can be.
This is a very basic example; you may want to include a tournament you may want to win. Be specific. Such as on the 1st December 20. I will be the best poker player I can be and have just won the... tournament, I am very proud of what I have achieved. However, be realistic. If you've just started playing and you want to make a statement that you will win the WSOP in 6 weeks, it may be a bit out of your reach. Not impossible, simply not easy.
Furthermore, you might find having a statement like I will win the lottery defeats the purpose of the power of positive affirmation and the point of training your mind. Include things in your statement that involve other things in your life too, like your job, money, relationships and health. It is simple poker advice, you are what you think. And we do have the power to encourage our mind to think about what we want, therefore we can become whatever we want. The power is in our hands.
0 comments:
Post a Comment