Comments on: Life Lessons From Poker http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/ Personal Development for Smart People Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:30:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Nick http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-8594 Nick Thu, 25 Aug 2005 08:03:12 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-8594 Steve, could you please clear out for me why you shouldn't play J8s from UTG and how it can relate to real life? Is it because of Murphy's law that someone will ALWAYS raise you out of the pot when sitting on a decent draw? Steve, could you please clear out for me why you shouldn’t play J8s from UTG and how it can relate to real life? Is it because of Murphy’s law that someone will ALWAYS raise you out of the pot when sitting on a decent draw?

]]> By: Michael Muryn http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7776 Michael Muryn Mon, 15 Aug 2005 17:08:57 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7776 @Jose haw! the people and the subject of apparence vs. the reality ;-) @Jose haw! the people and the subject of apparence vs. the reality ;-)

]]> By: Jose http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7454 Jose Sat, 13 Aug 2005 00:52:03 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7454 Steve have you played this game called 'Bluff' before? I found this game extremely interesting because I got to see a huge variance of different behaviours when people are called upon to lie. Some peoples voices start to shake, some people act suspiciously overly nonchalant, some people have an absolute poker face, and so on. It was also rather interesting when I left the game but went around observing the cards of the players from behind their backs- I got to see how each person's 'lying style' was like- strangely I found some of my friends who are normally the most honest around turned out to be compulsive liars- I hope they were only doing so in the spirit of the game. Worryingly, a number of them were really smooth liars.. Steve have you played this game called ‘Bluff’ before? I found this game extremely interesting because I got to see a huge variance of different behaviours when people are called upon to lie. Some peoples voices start to shake, some people act suspiciously overly nonchalant, some people have an absolute poker face, and so on. It was also rather interesting when I left the game but went around observing the cards of the players from behind their backs- I got to see how each person’s ‘lying style’ was like- strangely I found some of my friends who are normally the most honest around turned out to be compulsive liars- I hope they were only doing so in the spirit of the game. Worryingly, a number of them were really smooth liars..

]]> By: Ilya Olevsky http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7250 Ilya Olevsky Thu, 11 Aug 2005 01:51:07 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7250 I'd just like to add to Steve's reply to Dexter that diet and exercise make a huge difference in your energy levels. I became vegan almost two years ago, which made my digestive system work about 500% better. Eventually I also ditched just about all products that contain processed sugar (the hardest one to give up was ketchup which I was quite addicted to, but after a while I didn't miss it at all). It wasn't until I started exercising regularly however, that I felt the biggest difference in energy. I started running in March of this year with just 30 seconds run and 2 minutes walk for 20 minutes. Now I run continuously for that same 20 minutes. It seemed like an impossibility back when I was doing the 30 sec run/120 sec walk. Eventually I got to 1 min run and 1 min walk, and one day during my run/walk routine I just decided to see how much I could run without stopping, and ran for 10 minutes straight. The next time after that I decided if I can do 10, maybe I can do a lot more, and I was able to do 30 min. But my body tells me that I can't run 30 min every day (too much of a load based on how I feel after that) so I do 20 for now, until I'm ready. A small piece of advice while I'm on exercise: a lot of it is a mental barrier. Based on my personal experience, most people think they can do a lot less than they actually can (and the army drill sergeants seem to know that quite well). Once I thought "I <b>can</b> run for 30 minutes" I was able to do it. If I didn't believe this, I would've stopped long before the 30 min were over because my legs sure didn't like it. :) It seems that your body will try to make you to stop way before it actually reaches its limits. I think I went way off course here, so let me just get to the point. Steve said this before, and I think it's worth mentioning a few hundred more times. Exercise provides you with a great increase in energy and clarity of mind. I have experienced this, and let me tell you that the difference between how I felt before I started exercising and right now is night and day. When I've stopped exercising for a few days at one point, I started feeling like sh*t. I had completely forgotten what that was like, and, needless to say I instantly got back onto the treadmill. :) I’d just like to add to Steve’s reply to Dexter that diet and exercise make a huge difference in your energy levels. I became vegan almost two years ago, which made my digestive system work about 500% better. Eventually I also ditched just about all products that contain processed sugar (the hardest one to give up was ketchup which I was quite addicted to, but after a while I didn’t miss it at all). It wasn’t until I started exercising regularly however, that I felt the biggest difference in energy. I started running in March of this year with just 30 seconds run and 2 minutes walk for 20 minutes.

Now I run continuously for that same 20 minutes. It seemed like an impossibility back when I was doing the 30 sec run/120 sec walk. Eventually I got to 1 min run and 1 min walk, and one day during my run/walk routine I just decided to see how much I could run without stopping, and ran for 10 minutes straight. The next time after that I decided if I can do 10, maybe I can do a lot more, and I was able to do 30 min. But my body tells me that I can’t run 30 min every day (too much of a load based on how I feel after that) so I do 20 for now, until I’m ready. A small piece of advice while I’m on exercise: a lot of it is a mental barrier. Based on my personal experience, most people think they can do a lot less than they actually can (and the army drill sergeants seem to know that quite well). Once I thought “I can run for 30 minutes” I was able to do it. If I didn’t believe this, I would’ve stopped long before the 30 min were over because my legs sure didn’t like it. :) It seems that your body will try to make you to stop way before it actually reaches its limits.

I think I went way off course here, so let me just get to the point. Steve said this before, and I think it’s worth mentioning a few hundred more times. Exercise provides you with a great increase in energy and clarity of mind. I have experienced this, and let me tell you that the difference between how I felt before I started exercising and right now is night and day. When I’ve stopped exercising for a few days at one point, I started feeling like sh*t. I had completely forgotten what that was like, and, needless to say I instantly got back onto the treadmill. :)

]]> By: Steve Pavlina http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7249 Steve Pavlina Wed, 10 Aug 2005 22:45:39 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7249 @Dexter: Perhaps it's because I haven't had a job since 1992. When you don't have to go work for someone else for 13 years straight, it frees up quite a bit of time, energy, and passion for personal goals and hobbies. I doubt I would have had time to learn poker, blackjack, juggling, Tae Kwon Do, marathon running, etc. if I had to get a real job. @Dexter: Perhaps it’s because I haven’t had a job since 1992. When you don’t have to go work for someone else for 13 years straight, it frees up quite a bit of time, energy, and passion for personal goals and hobbies. I doubt I would have had time to learn poker, blackjack, juggling, Tae Kwon Do, marathon running, etc. if I had to get a real job.

]]> By: Dexter http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7247 Dexter Wed, 10 Aug 2005 22:06:43 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7247 One other thing: I consider your thoughts on commercials extremely insightful. Thank you for sharing your insights. One other thing: I consider your thoughts on commercials extremely insightful. Thank you for sharing your insights.

]]> By: Dexter http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7246 Dexter Wed, 10 Aug 2005 22:05:45 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7246 Steve, you obviously are a very high energy person. You ran a successful business (Dexterity Software) and also had the time to study these games, play them, and improve your skills on them. I'm also running a successful business, but this takes all my energy - 100% of my stamina. Outside of my business I'm tired and grumpy and behave like a vegetable. Other articles by you also show that you have lots of energy. What is the secret of your exploding energy? :-) Steve, you obviously are a very high energy person.

You ran a successful business (Dexterity Software) and also had the time to study these games, play them, and improve your skills on them.

I’m also running a successful business, but this takes all my energy - 100% of my stamina. Outside of my business I’m tired and grumpy and behave like a vegetable.

Other articles by you also show that you have lots of energy.

What is the secret of your exploding energy? :-)

]]> By: Steve Pavlina http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7237 Steve Pavlina Wed, 10 Aug 2005 16:43:33 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7237 @Kent: Thanks. I updated the link. @Moony: A while back I wrote a post that addresses logic vs. feeling: <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/" target="_blank">Thought vs. Action</a> @Kent: Thanks. I updated the link.

@Moony: A while back I wrote a post that addresses logic vs. feeling:
Thought vs. Action

]]> By: Kent Briggs http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7236 Kent Briggs Wed, 10 Aug 2005 16:13:03 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7236 FYI, Lee Jones has a new (3rd) edition of "Winning Low-Limit Hold'em" out. You may want to link to it instead. FYI, Lee Jones has a new (3rd) edition of “Winning Low-Limit Hold’em” out. You may want to link to it instead.

]]> By: moony http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7235 moony Wed, 10 Aug 2005 14:56:08 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7235 Steve, can you elaborate more (in a later article perhaps) on the interplay between logic/intellect and intuition/emotions? I sometimes feel that our mind is pure emotion - logic is just an illusion - a special kind of emotion, and that emotions use logic to strengthen themselves or weaken other emotions. Steve, can you elaborate more (in a later article perhaps) on the interplay between logic/intellect and intuition/emotions? I sometimes feel that our mind is pure emotion - logic is just an illusion - a special kind of emotion, and that emotions use logic to strengthen themselves or weaken other emotions.

]]> By: Josh http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/08/life-lessons-from-poker/#comment-7231 Josh Wed, 10 Aug 2005 13:17:44 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=224#comment-7231 Much like playing A-x, when you're sure the oponent has a high pair ... It's a lot more fun in life, than in poker, when you can actively do something to improve your hand. Much like playing A-x, when you’re sure the oponent has a high pair … It’s a lot more fun in life, than in poker, when you can actively do something to improve your hand.

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