Your Habits Determine Your Success

Floyd Mayweather is considered one of the best boxers of all time. One of his greatest attributes, and what makes him so deadly, is the calmness he walks into the ring with. His mental state is purely focused on the execution of the work he has put in for months.

He says he doesn’t get nervous at all, because at that point either he has done enough to win or he hasn’t. Nothing from that point on will matter, so why worry about it?

As poker players we focus so much on the uncontrollable, the bad beats and suck out stories that everyone loves to share. When high-stakes regulars are involved in massive pots for hundreds of thousands of dollars, they are able to keep their composure because they’ve done all they can off the tables. Which way the cards fall at that point is not within their control, but everything before it was.

Only a fraction of your success in poker is actually decided while you play. Whether or not you have the ability to stay focused, positive, and calm during high-pressure situations depends largely on what happens away from the tables.

I talk a lot about daily habits such as meditation, nutrition, exercise, mindset practice and so on, on the Raise Your Edge YouTube channel, and in our mindset course ‘Unchained Mind.’ Use promo code CARDPLAYERMIND for $60 off. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of some steps you can take to begin adding these habits to your game. 

Meditation

Meditation is probably the number one mindset tool that professional poker players use. This practice is a great way to combat tilt, as well as increase your focus and clarity through long hours of play. Try starting with a quick 3- to 5-minute meditation before you begin your poker session. You can listen to music or a meditation recording if you’d like, or you can just sit in silence.

Try counting to ten over and over, with each inhale and exhale of your breath counting as one. Taking a small moment to center yourself and your breathing before your session will do wonders for your focus in game.

If you find this works for you, start using this practice for dealing with bad beats as well. When you feel yourself starting to go on tilt, or if you suffer a ridiculous bad beat, take just 30 seconds to a minute and focus on your breathing. If you’re playing live, you don’t even need to leave the table necessarily, although taking a quick break can definitely help too. Without closing your eyes, count internally to ten, counting one with your inhale and two with your exhale. You may find the ability to regain your composure a lot quicker than before, and avoid going on tilt entirely. 

Nutrition

“You are what you eat” is a phrase I live by these days. Poker players often struggle with this aspect of life, due to long hours of play with infrequent breaks. If you’re able, try meal prepping before your sessions with healthier options like chicken, salad, or fruit. There are plenty of meal prepping guides online, so I won’t add them here, but having a healthier diet is vital to increasing your focus during long sessions. Your mind will be clearer, your stomach will feel better, and you’ll be able to play poker for longer hours with a better mentality.

Exercise

As poker players we sit for our entire workday. Because of this, it can be difficult to get the exercise we need. Try beginning your day with a 10–30-minute workout. While this may not seem like it will do much, the effects on your day are very noticeable. You’ll find yourself sitting down to play with more energy than you had before, and your body will feel better throughout the day. 

Superficially, these habits might seem to be disconnected from playing poker, but they make ALL the difference. I am still able to crush high stakes after over a decade of playing poker because I cultivated a system of habits and practices that keeps me sharp, at ease, and focused. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I study A LOT. I put in more hours than 99% of other people, guaranteed. But all that studying would be pointless if I couldn’t keep up my focus for an extended period of time. Or if I constantly went on tilt when things go south. Or if my blood sugar were to drop after an hour of play because I constantly ate junk food.

The Take-Away

Your ability to stay focused, calm, and positive depends largely on your everyday habits. Focus on creating a system that works for you! Whether you’re most positively affected by exercise, clean eating, meditation or whatever, try to implement one healthy habit into your life for 2023. Focus on getting that habit fully integrated, then work on a different area of your life. Your poker game will see massive benefits, as will your daily life.  ♠

‘Bencb’ has been crushing the highest stakes in tournament poker for more than 10 years, amassing millions in winnings. The German online pro has also coached thousands of players to pro-level success and beyond, both through private coaching and through his courses at Raise Your Edge. (Use promo code CARDPLAYERAPP) When he’s not playing or teaching the game of poker, he works with his champion Esports club Acend. You can find him on Twitter @bencb789.