Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

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You will want that 401k and health insurance and days paid off.

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You pay for all of these things.

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Indirectly yes. That is why if you take a salary of say $50k, it would be the equivalent of $65k or something, but employer is in essence 'charging' you for it.

Still, it isn't a bad thing since you get health care cheaper than you would get as individual and it heavily encourages savings which is a good thing in the long-term.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

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You will want that 401k and health insurance and days paid off.

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You pay for all of these things.

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Indirectly yes. That is why if you take a salary of say $50k, it would be the equivalent of $65k or something, but employer is in essence 'charging' you for it.

Still, it isn't a bad thing since you get health care cheaper than you would get as individual and it heavily encourages savings which is a good thing in the long-term.

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You aren't going to be able to squish the people in here down into your narrow box of what a proper way of generating money is: getting a degree, working for $50k/y for a few years, and ending at hopefully $100k/y at 65.

People here have dreams and heart. They've found poker, a way in which their skills a rewarded directly, without passing most of the money generated to the owner of whatever company he is working for. People here have found a way out of that paradigm, of working for someone else, hoping for a 4% raise to get you up to $75k/year when you turn 25.

And yet you are trying to push them back down in. "99.9% of people go broke", etc. It's not going to happen. You can't show someone the light and then pretend it doesn't exist. The bottom line is that there are many many ways to make your own living, and in a more lucrative way, without having to fit in the work for someone else -> accept their orders -> take whats left of the profit you generated after the owner takes his cut, and gives the rest in the form of a paycheck.

If poker should die or become unprofitable for all but the 25/50+ players, which I doubt it ever will, people who don't want to be someone else's worker will find another way to make money independently. There are tons of ways outside of the conventional paradigm. And those used to being rewarded or punished based on their own actions financially will find them, and prosper.

As for the rest of what you say, everything else can be created through poker. You don't have to work for someone else to have a retired plan and nest egg, nor insurance. The government makes ways for the self-employed to get the usual benefits of retirement plans without a 3rd party holding your hand and saying you are allowed to.

You create a retirement account, with the usual benefits afforded by the govt in terms of interest and tax benefits. You take money that you make from poker, which is far in excess of what a normal job would provide, and put it in said account. There's your nest egg, your retirement fund. As for 'one bad rush', you don't understand bankroll management. A pro using conservative bankroll management has a much smaller chance of going broke than any career worker, who may get fired because of outside concerns, like downsizing, or the company going under.

The wife is now no longer worried. All is well.

The bottom line is that if you treat poker seriously and are good at it, you will make a serious amount of money and can use it in the same way you would if you were making it from a 'normal' career path. Except you have a lot more than you would if you were part of that career path.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

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The bottom line is that if you treat poker seriously and are good at it, you will make a serious amount of money and can use it in the same way you would if you were making it from a 'normal' career path. Except you have a lot more than you would if you were part of that career path.

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You make some great points. Most people who are drawn to poker don't have the discipline to weather incredible swings. Look at all the stories of pros who have gone broke multiple times. Many of them win just to pay backers.

I went the 'traditional' route as did most of my friends. Everyone of them is well off by most any measure.

I know a few people who went the non-traditional route. One became a day trader and turned $5k into $500k. He then lost it all. He is now $70k in debt and can't fathom trying to take a 'traditional' job that pays 'only' $50k because he used to make/lose that in one week.

I don't have a problem with anyone becoming a poker pro. I am just piping in my own opinion that one should wait. Poker will always be there.

Good post. Take care.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

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can't fathom trying to take a 'traditional' job that pays 'only' $50k because he used to make/lose that in one week.

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I know that sounds almost brat-like but I fully understand and agree with him. You can't go backward and ever be happy again.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

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can't fathom trying to take a 'traditional' job that pays 'only' $50k because he used to make/lose that in one week.

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I know that sounds almost brat-like but I fully understand and agree with him. You can't go backward and ever be happy again.

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You don't see this as a good quality to have, do you?

I have this same way of thinking and I only made mid five figures last year. I'm a college student and working a typical college $10-15/hr a job would be torture for me. I know this is a bad thing though.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

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You don't see this as a good quality to have, do you?

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I don't believe you can assign a normative assessment to this quality. It is just human nature.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

Seriously why is it that you cant work a 50k a year job that you kinda enjoy if you won or lost that in weeks? I cant really find any words because i suck with english language, but arent those guys turned into money hungry ho's? I mean life isnt all about the money? I dont see how you suddenly cant work a job you enjoy for 'only' 50k. Or is it the thrill of losing and winning it?

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

It is because you can't pay for all the things you use to have before.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

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Seriously why is it that you cant work a 50k a year job that you kinda enjoy if you won or lost that in weeks? I cant really find any words because i suck with english language, but arent those guys turned into money hungry ho's? I mean life isnt all about the money? I dont see how you suddenly cant work a job you enjoy for 'only' 50k. Or is it the thrill of losing and winning it?

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Because people want what money brings: freedom to buy things they want (for themselves and for others), financial security, etc.

Re: Dating a poker pro- From the perspective of a non-playing girlfrie
 

It isn't even that they want them, Lots of people convent luxury items. Growing up in a middle income household I always wanted nicer things than what my family could afford. Had I gone off and achieved a $75k/year income I would have been happy. But once you go and start experiencing the lifestyle possible from a much larger income you can't go back to living off $75K and still be happy.