[fitnessfreak]

i am seriously amazed at how accurately OP's current approach to poker reflects my own.

during march i was crushing msnl and was on top of the world. i didnt brag about it but i didnt mind letting anyone who criticised me for leaving my job to play poker know how well i was doing. but then in may i went through a horror stretch from which i have not recovered psychologically. i used to love playing, but now i make any excuse i can to avoid it. its not like im always losing, but i get way too affected by a few bad beats and im scared of the feeling of losing. its a helpless feeling and i think it primarily stems from a fear of feeling like [censored] from a loss and also a totally illogical fear of going broke (i am way overrolled for 2/4nl and i still live at home rent free). also, i think its the same for me that i feel by avoiding playing i dont have to feel like a failure, esp when i discuss my job with other people.

i honestly believe that this thread may be the most useful one i have ever read. if nothing else it has shown that there are others like me. i am currently in the process of going through and trying every technique suggested. im already feeling better about a few things so far. i will be sure to post anything that i think might be useful to others who are in a similar predicament.

thanks heaps to OP and everyone who posted useful replies. i hope we can all be crushing with confidence again soon [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]