| You are a winning poker player. You have made a | | | | lot more when this is your actual wealth you are |
| good amount of money for a period of time and you | | | | hurting. Poker should always remain aside from your |
| look at the professionals who live the dream lifestyle | | | | feelings towards life and this is extremely difficult to |
| and ask yourself why you still go to your 9 till 5 job | | | | maintain a healthy attitude when winning and losing |
| when you make more money from playing poker. | | | | affects your life so acutely. It is very easy to lose |
| Your boss is on your back and you want the easy life. | | | | perspective. |
| After all, you are making enough money so it's a no | | | | Any holiday you take will be unpaid, and you will not |
| brainer! Or is it? It is certainly a compelling argument | | | | get the benefit of a pension, sick pay or any other |
| and I would hazard a guess that there is not a poker | | | | perk that comes with most reasonably paid |
| player in the world who has not dreamed of doing | | | | employments. There is also the satisfaction aspect of |
| nothing but play poker instead of working. Let us | | | | poker. When you win, you are actually beating other |
| discuss the pros and cons of living life as a | | | | players out of money and not contributing anything to |
| professional poker player. This might be the most | | | | society. This may not bother some people; however |
| important article you ever read. | | | | others may feel a sense of void not being involved in |
| The Good Bits | | | | a company or positively contributing to the world. |
| You get your freedom and certainly do not | | | | Poker is all about you, and it can get lonely. If you think |
| underestimate this. If you are a young player and are | | | | being stuck on your computer screen all day may be |
| coming straight out of education and have discovered | | | | a problem for you, imagine how this will feel after six |
| a knack of winning cards then I would advise every | | | | months of doing it? Every poker player I know who |
| player to take a job for one year and then you will fully | | | | plays online for a living says it is completely |
| be able to appreciate what you have. You can get up | | | | unglamorous and boring. You may be able to dress it |
| when you want, play when you want and do not | | | | up by travelling to tournaments, but ultimately you are |
| answer to anyone but yourself. This can also be some | | | | playing a risky game with many good players. Due to |
| of the worst things about being self-employed though. | | | | the Internet, credit crunch and training sites there have |
| If you have the discipline, financial money management, | | | | never been more good players than right now, so the |
| and of course the poker skills this may be a viable | | | | risk of playing for a living has never been greater. |
| option for you to bring in your money from exclusively | | | | Some Sound Advice |
| playing poker. Getting a few solid years of cash game | | | | It is totally your decision whether or not to use poker |
| profits behind you may buy you a property outright | | | | as your sole source of income. If you do decide to |
| you could not have dreamed of during normal | | | | take a shot, make sure you save hard and look after |
| employment. Even if you eventually move back into | | | | your winnings. If you lose then make sure you start |
| work, playing poker may give you opportunities you | | | | searching for alternative ways to earn money before |
| otherwise would not have had access to. | | | | you go completely broke. Aim to build some security in |
| During periods of good profits life will feel great. You | | | | what is a very insecure profession. You will need to |
| will get to play the game you love, and you are winning | | | | arrange the relevant accounting if your winnings are |
| and have money to play with. Can life get better? | | | | taxable depending on your country of residence. I |
| The Not So Good Bits | | | | highly recommend carrying on with some sort of |
| Every player hits a downswing after a period of | | | | course or education to give yourself options should |
| playing where every card is the one you hope not to | | | | you become bored with the grind of playing poker for |
| see and you are outdrawn by the poker sites so | | | | a living. As the poker pros say, leave yourself outs. For |
| much you are tempted to enter the "it's all rigged" | | | | those to whom playing poker for a living works out |
| discussions on the poker websites. As fun as it is to | | | | great, enjoy the very real benefits of it, but always be |
| have your freedom, you will have to put in the long | | | | careful as complacency is punished hard when it |
| hours to grind out your profit. You also need to win! If | | | | comes to gambling. Never stop being a winning poker |
| you lose this may feel like a dagger to the heart as | | | | player in every sense of the word. |
| you have no other money coming in. Losing will hurt a | | | | It's good advice. |