What will make you happy?

[Yeti]

Around 95% of you reading this sentence are relatively young men. Most of you are probably pretty comfortable financially. A lot of you have travelled extensively and seen the world, sometimes purely on the back of poker. That's pretty wild - I think about it a lot. This game has been good to so many.

On the surface your lifestyle probably looks incredible and glamorous. And that's because it pretty much is. I go through ridiculous mood swings every day for reasons I haven't quite figured out yet, but no matter how much I moan, I always try to remind myself that I have a pretty damn good life.

But I am not happy.

Not how I would like to be, at least. And having spoke to some of you, it appears I am not alone. I start to wonder what it takes to be truly happy, day in, day out. Is that even possible?

Of course, a lot of what I'm talking about boils down to them. Women. I know it's cool and 'alpha' to spout lines about ignoring them and not putting them on a pedestal, and for years I believed it. (Although I probably didn't follow it.)

But the more I talk to friends the more I realise that everyone seems almost anxious about the future and the uncertainty of whether they will be happy. Someone just told me he is happy now, but wonders if he will ever be REALLY happy until he marries that perfect girl.

Is that relationship even enough though? Or do you need to have children with that person and see the smile on your son or daughter's face to experience that happiness we seem to crave?

Talk to me.

PS. Sorry about the Tommy Angelo meets Carrie Bradshaw meets bisonbison writing style. I don't know what came over me.

[Jurollo]

I think the job of online poker alone makes a lot of us unhappy. Its isolationist in its very essence and cuts us off from the outside world to an extent which contributes to these feelings likely.

[Claunchy]

I think if you are pursuing things you feel to be worthwhile, and you're at least moderately successful in those endeavors, happiness will typically follow.

Obviously having a close network of loved ones, whether it be a wife/GF or just really close friends, is important too.

[nation]

I'm happy with my career, but the only thing that will make me happy with life is raising a family with a woman I love. That's basic human nature though, I think.

-nation

[nation]

"I think the job of online poker alone makes a lot of us unhappy."

This is very true. I lived by myself for a year, and it was the worst year of my life. I could see myself sinking into depression.

Now, I always try to surround myself with people. My dad kind of understands it, because he sweated me one day and made a comment the next day sort of acknowledging that it's a solitary lifestyle and having roommates or close friends with similar goals is imperative.

[MaxxDaddy]

I'm 23 and still living at home. I'm taking this year off and applying to medical school. I applied for research jobs, but got rejected at every turn. Now I'm teaching the Kaplan MCAT course part-time. Sometimes I go through mood swings where I become depressed thinking about what'll happen if I don't get into med school and regretting some of the decisions I made in college, like not doing enough research. I realize I'm quite lucky to have a girlfriend, friends, and family that will accept me for whatever I end up doing and won't judge me based on whether or not I get in. However, at this precise moment in time, getting into medical school, so I don't have to worry about it any more, will make me happy.

[Victor]

i really want my knee to stop hurting so i can run and play soccer again.

id like to find "someone" as well.

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
"I think the job of online poker alone makes a lot of us unhappy."

This is very true. I lived by myself for a year, and it was the worst year of my life. I could see myself sinking into depression.

[/ QUOTE ]
For me, this is a grass is always greener deal. I mean, I look at you poker pros - setting your own hours, some of you making sick money - and I wonder WTF, how can you complain?

From what I've read, most off-topic posters at this site play poker purely as a hobby or for side income. Very few - Alobar, nath, daryn, nation, probably a few others - are frequent OT posters (not counting BBV into this equation). I'd be interested in hearing your guys' "day in the life of". It may be a really short possibly boring read, but I'm struggling to understand how 8-tabling online poker when you feel like it is such a huge downer.

As for me personally being happy? Simple - never have kids, never pay alimony. So far I'm batting 1.000.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

[ QUOTE ]
but I'm struggling to understand how 8-tabling online poker when you feel like it is such a huge downer.

[/ QUOTE ]

b/c it's not really "when you feel like it" for the vast majority of grinders. no work = no play.

I mean I never played professionally, and I got burnt out.

[guids]

Tuq,

I played "pro", for about 2.5 years, 21 to 23.5. A day in the life of guids:


M-Thurs- strict discipline, wake, up, run, housework, etc, then about 1pm, Id start playing/surfing/TV, Id play for 6 or 7 hours, hit the gym at night, maybe meet at a bar if I had business to take care of or Id play cards, no drinking though. Friday, wake up at noon, and basically party, drink, eat, until sunday afternoon, recover sunday night. This has been my last 3 years basically, if I was travelling it was on the weekends. Now, I dont have poker to do, so I have tons of time on my hands, hence why I decided on pouring my time into a bar, although I have recently started playing live a couple nights a week. Not really exciting.