[RyanJM]

Haha, I guess I should add a laundry list of conditions to when/if the 10 buy-in rule is ever useful. Suffice to say in my opinion it doesn't apply to the vast majority of people coming up the ranks, moving up in buy-in level for the first time, who actually value the money they earn. Using the 10 buy-in rule I would be playing at limits way above my head, and I wouldn't be psychologically ready to withstand a losing streak, not even to say anything about whether my game is ready for those stakes or not.

And I stand by my definition of successful. If you have to keep dropping levels, for whatever reason, you haven't made it yet. I guess my definition of success is a bit skewed because I have high goals. But I just think it's better to have a solid foundation that can withstand stormy weather and stay in one piece. If you have to rebuild and grind low limits where you won't make as much profit as you should/could be then it's just a waste of time.