Poker versus life

[Noose]

About a year ago I (like everyone else it seems) asked peoples opinion on me going pro. For an update on that, I'm still playing for living and doing alright. I'm not really playing big games yet, but I can pay my bills, not think too much about money and in the same time work with something I love to do - and that's poker.

When I started playing for living, I made myself strict schedule of keeping up with 40 hours per week. Well I did that for three months straight and then had a one month summer break. After that I played two months straight and just had enough of it. Got a little burned out by the grinding (6-8 tables, NL) and it really didn't feel good at all. Going to the bed at 5am, waking up at 1pm and feeling hungover for nearly the whole two months, even if I didn't drink much at all.

After that it dawned on me that maybe there's more to it than just playing. My honeymoon with the game was pretty much over and I realized that I don't have to play 40 hours per week, because I'm making good money even if I play just thirty. I really don't have good work ethic anymore, because I don't value money over life anymore.

I remember that when I started to play for living, I had something like 10k's in the bankroll. Yeah, I know it wasn't enough, but I had a good situation in life to go for it and I did, and I certainly don't regret it. The months I still had a good work ethic and put in all the hours, I moved up limits and learned a lot about the game.

But like I said, somewhere along the way I just realized that life > poker. I don't really get these big time tournament pro's who (at least portray themselves) don't seem to have a life in addition to poker. I hope I'm wrong, but looking at a guy like Phil Ivey I just can't help thinking that is this dude really serious? He's got millions of money and still all he does is play poker. Come on. I really hope I'm wrong and that they've really got a life.

What I'm trying to say here is that I don't get it why people making tens, if not hundreds of thousands per month, just wear themselves out by playing poker 24/7. Then I can understand it if you really _have_ to make money for something until certain date, but otherwise that really doesn't make sense. The games will be there tomorrow too and the money there. It isn't worth risking your sleep rhythm or anything for money, because it's really just... money.

Competetiveness and moving up limits is my driving force, but that doesn't explain why people value poker over life. Oh well... maybe it's got something to do with me losing the understanding of the value of money along the way? Dunno...

(stream of conciousness)