Its crunch time. Telling the family I failed

[JackAll]

How many hands (and how many months) of 200nl and 400nl?
And how many ptbb's for each of those limits?

[tarheeljks]

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I did it, I told them!!!
Well kind of, I havn't fully explained the fact that I want to become a professional poker player. After I told them I failed they couldn't even bare to look at me, now they want me to get a job. Ahh well this is what I want to do and they will have to accept that. I suppose I need to tell them my plans?

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ONE: you didn't fail - you chose a different path.

TWO: You have a job. Show them your rate of pay, hours worked and so forth. Give them examples. Show 'em the money.

THREE: Not finishing is fine, ignore all criticism, but - just for yourself, please learn the difference between "bare" and "bear."

FOUR: Remember many have been where you are, Hellmuth most famously. Be patient with them, stop feeling guilty. You are resposible for your own life, so you get to make the choices.

Work hard, comport yourself honorably in your dealings, be the best poker player you can be.

GL

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well he certainly didn't succeed. this isn't to say that it's the end of the world, but he did fail at this particular endeavor. anyway, as far as going pro i think you should take a step back. in the past you have essentially been operating w/a safety net, but now if the [censored] hits the fan where will you be. you've run yourself into a corner by not finishing school b/c playing poker may be your best option financially, but will your parents continue to support you if you aren't working a conventional job.?

[Praxising]

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Yes now I have chosen my path I will try and be the best I can. Last month was a really bad month for me on the poker scene and only the last weeks or so have I felt back to my best. I was playing very badly as explained in another post and the reason was all the self made stress I had going on. Before that I have built up a $150 bankroll to over $10,000. I always play within my bankroll limitations unless there is a juicy game going on. On average since january I have been earning $1600 which may not seem like a lot but you have to remember I have come up from $0.5/$0.10nl to $2/$4nl. Over 125k hands I am running at a PT/BB 8 despite my 3 weeks of bad play.

These figures also dont consider bonus's and rakeback.

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I am going to give you some advice, as I would if my son said he was going professional at poker and leaving school. You DO need to study, if I were you, I would start an intensive course of study of "going pro." Research it - plenty has been written, make some notes, keep them for yourself, a sort of senior project paper on poker bankroll and life management.

Read every book by every player you can find that talks about poker life. Buy The Poker Mindset today. Remember that going broke a few times is part and parcel of the experience for many - doesn't have to be, but don't get down on yourself and become discouraged if things start to get real tough.

Part-time crummy jobs can be your friends, too. I suggest washing cars - a little physical activity, a little mindless work, helps even out your day.

No one gets good at this who is not damned bright. Give yourself some credit, but be a pro. It's very hard work. I think you're more than up to it.

prax<---old enough to at least be your parent if not grand-

[Praxising]

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well he certainly didn't succeed. this isn't to say that it's the end of the world, but he did fail at this particular endeavor.

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Depends on your point of view. I don't see it that way - when you stop doing something because you simply don't want to andf start doing something else, that isn't failure. And, it can just take a lot of guts.

But I believe no one should be allowed to go to college until they at least 21. Way too much pressure and who knows what the hell they will want in a few years time? Too many miserable doctors, lawyers and industrial chiefs who want to play poker, be short-order cooks or auto mechanics doing the family bidding and then feeling it's a waste of their years and parents' money if they don't do whatever they studied to do.

In a few years this youngster might decide he really would like a Master's in Social work because of all the stressed-out neurotic characters he meets in poker. Or he might want to run the kitchen at the casino. Or be at a WPT final table.

I don't see it as failing at something he wanted, I see it as leaving a party someone forced him to go to.

But that's just the aging hippy coming out in me, maybe.

-prax-

[Al Mirpuri]

I watched a small budget Hollywood movie. An old woman is being burgled. She holds a gun on him. At one point she tells him: live your own life because you die your own death.