Goal setting

[Vincent]

Ok, I'm lazy, so here's another attempt at putting in hours. Now, I remember hearing here & there that when kids are given something that they are capable of learning, then they enjoy learning more.

On that note, maybe I'll enjoy work more, if I set realistic goals. So I'm going to try for 4 hours/day for 5 days/wk.

Now this may be really low for a pro, however if I put in 20hrs/wk, that's like 3x as much as I worked last year.

What do you think?

[deacsoft]

The only goal you should be setting is to play good, winning poker. Setting yourself for "x" hours a day "x" hours a week is not a good idea. I understand that you're trying to develop some kind of work ethic, and I respect that you're trying to put more focus and effort into poker. However, you should only be playing when you're feeling 100% and the games are favorable for your playing style. You need to motivate yourself from within. When I get lazy and don't want to put in the time I often ask myself, "how good do you want to be?" That usually gets me off my butt and ready (and pumped) to play. Than I play as long as I feel I'm playing well and the game(s) are good.

[bernie]

hmmmm.

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Setting yourself for "x" hours a day "x" hours a week is not a good idea.

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It is if you're trying to stabalize yourself a bit and put some normalcy in your life. It can be tough to 'learn' how to put in hours on a table. Getting over a point of staying when you're up when you want to get out because you're afraid of giving it back. You have to learn it sometime. Many have a problem doing that. I did. The way I learned was to force myself to stay and play. Force myself through the psychological BS my mind was trying to give me. I've been planning on posting about that, but have been kinda lazy about it. Someday...

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However, you should only be playing when you're feeling 100% and the games are favorable for your playing style.

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Not necesarily true. It's great in theory, but not really realistic. Especially if you're playing full time. If I only played when I was feeling 100%, I wouldn't play nearly as much. Eventually, with enough play, you will realize when you're not playing profitably for the game you're in. You don't have to be playing 100% to be playing profitably. It's just your winrate may not be as high. This is where evaluating your own game in accordance to the game your in comes in. For instance, playing in a loose passive, calling station type of game is pretty damn easy. You can do it 1/2 asleep. With bluffing being pretty much relegated to the sidelines, and no one making moves to worry about, there's not as much critical thinking in that type of game.

As far as games fitting ones playing style, one should be striving to learn to play in all the styles. Whether hyper aggro or loose and passive as hell. You have to learn it sometime. Sure, they take time to learn, but you don't want to limit yourself to one type of table texture.

And the time to learn them is when it's cheap.

b