Quote Originally Posted by aokrongly
what a great question. I love this one.

I'm a discipline junkie when it comes to poker, but I came from where you are. No convert like a reformed addict.

We're going to talk alot about beliefs and "how you feel" in this post. Sorry. It's the key to fixing this. However, there are some basic tools you may be missing as well.

First, you've been playing for 6 months. Is that long enough that you feel you've experienced the other games Ring/MTT or whatever enough that you want to settle down with SnG's? It's kind of poker adolesence at this point. If youhave that desire to explore then you may need to do that. there are alot of avenues in poker. my question is, Do You love SnG's enough that you want to focus on them? If not, keep trying things until you're ready to commit ALL your attendion to one thing.

Belief #1 - At 6 months you don't have the skills or experience necessary to conquer more than one type of Holdem at one time. If you try you will fail at both (or them all). However, you are talented and smart enough to conquer One aspect of holdem if you commit all your energy to it. And once you conquer that aspect you can move on to another type of game if you want. If you do that you are guaranteed to succeed. Ignore that and you're guaranteed to fail at ALL aspects of poker. (other people not may see it this way, but they don't matter. If YOU see it this way, then you'll give what you are trying to do the attention and dedication it deserves. Do I have to tell you that sng and ring are two separate games and are played differently?)

Ok, so there is piece #1 for patience. Commitment to trying to accomplish a hard, long-term goal. But if you don't want to do that then you can just keep doing what you're doing. Playing good - what did you say 25% of the time?

NEXT.

Whether you see it or not, you believe that you're bouncing around between games and getting distracted is a MINOR problem that is having SOME impact on you CURRENT success. Logically you might see it differntly but that's how you feel. Let me tell you reality (or the reality you need to believe to fix this "little" problem):

Belief #2: What you are doing that you characterize as "impatience" is Crippling your ability to EVER be good at poker. Not only that but Everytime to do this you are Further Ingraining within your game the fissures, and timebombs that will forever ruin your ability to accomplish what you want in poker. Every time to do something you know is "impatient" you are cementing habit that will reappear when they will do the most damage.

next,

do you have a plan on how to get great at SnG's? Plus, is it your goal to be GREAT at SnG's, or just... better... or good? What's your vision? The first game I ever cracked, after years of break-even poker, was 20 and 30 SnG's on Party. I crackeded the $5 game and the minute I realized I crack ed the $20 and $30 Sng's too, I quit my job (that I hated) and started playing poker full time, making $150 per day playing SnG's on Partypoker. Thousands of dollars/month can be made in low buyin Sngs. A powerhouse SNG game can go on to become a monster MTT game!! What's your vision?

What you have learned is useless if you don't apply it 100% of the time. I'm not a particulary talented poker player. If I don't do what I know I have to do 100% of the time (or as close as I can get) then I LOSE. There's no way around it. If you don't play your most productive, disciplined, quality game 100% of the time. If you don't bring all you mental skills and patience and tools to the table every time, you will lose (and it's why you are losing). Imagine if you won as much as you win now (plus more) but don't lose nearly as much as you lose!! What difference would that make?

If you have skill and dedicate yourself to improving then you can't be beat by anyone but yourself, long-term. Think of it this way, When you Win you win on skill, but when you lose you lose from lack of focus, patience and discipline. I'm not talking about suckouts or bad beats or whatever. I'm talking Overall.

THAT'S how important "patience" is. It's not "one" thing. It's EVERYTHING. Without it you're pissing away all the hard work you're putting in, not just now - but Forever and Ever Amen!

Here's what I'm saying, either you're going to do what you need to do to be a great poker player, or you aren't. It's OK to just play around at poker. MOST people do it. They don't have the desire, will, PATIENCE, commitment, discipline or vision to get great.

Every single person on FTR who makes tens of thousands of dollars per year playing poker had to overcome this issue at one time. They all did (and did alot more). They immersed themselves in becoming great poker players. And in the end they did. Because becoming a great poker player is INEVITABLE when you do that. And it's IMPOSSIBLE if you don't.

It's magic. Either you will do what you know is best 100% of the time (while learning more every day to do) or you won't.

I hope you do. This whole post was my attempt to change your BELIEFS about what is necessary, what is required and what is possible if you stop indulging a childish belief that poker is here to entertain you. Losers are entertained. Great poker players are Machines. And it's a hell of a lot more fun being a money machine. Online poker is like a free ATM once you do what you have to do.

good luck
HOly fuck I just read this today, this needs to be stickied, great fuckin advice wow!