Coping With Lost Interest

My last blog ended with four questions. Jim Bolender sent me such excellent answers that I requested permission to post them here. He graciously agreed. I have not edited them.

JohnnyOnTheSpot asked me what a pro should do. Since I didn’t have a good answer, I’ve written to three friends who are pros. Hopefully, I’ll get some useful advice from them.

I greatly appreciate the comments and questions that readers have sent, and I hope that others join this and other discussions. These and other feelings are a relatively neglected topic, and YOUR opinion could help someone else.

1. Have you had periods that you just didn’t feel like playing?

I am in one right now.

2. When and why did they occur?

They usually occur in times of high stress. When I am not stressed, I generally play online 4 to 5 times a week. I usually do take two or three extended periods a year off from playing poker due to travel, not due to stress. These trips do seem to rejuvenate my game when I return. This is my longest period of not playing due to stress in quite a while (nearly a month).

3. What did you do about these feelings?

I am not playing, period. Even though I was playing well, I was on a bit of a losing streak before my stressful time at work began. But I have learned that when I play and am stressed/exhausted, I may as well just burn my money, because I will not win. About the only thing I will do now is play the WSOP Poker on Facebook over lunch. Knowing I am stressed and sitting down to play is stupid – and it only took me about 5 years to realize it!

4. Do you have any recommendations?

Follow Doyle’s advice in SuperSystem. Ask yourself, are you on top of your life or stressed? Are there issues that are taking your mind away from the game? If these are bothering you – DON’T PLAY! Well, I do want you to play against me, when I am on my game! I actually tracked my stats. Most (90%) of my MTT wins came during periods of low stress for me. My bank roll would be much better off if I knew that 5 years ago.