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Telling them what you do for a living....(please EVERYONE in the poker world comment!)
BananaDog
Member Posts: 1,390
ok I got a great book (or rather hubby has) and there is a section in it about telling people that you play poker for a living, anyway I think a lot of people look down at you and assume your a manic gambler who spends the bills and food money leaving your family in the gutter.....but as this book says it's all about how you tell em!
ok so here is the extract:
When I first started playing poker for a living in 2005, virtually everyone I talked to thought I was out of my mind. I hated it when people asked me what I did for a living. I used to reply sheepishly, "Well, believe it or not, I actually play online poker for a living. I know, It's wierd, right? But, hey, it's paying the bills so far."
I would cringe while I said it and pray the person I was talking to wouldn't lecture me. I soon realised that a tentative reply was the exact opposite of what you want to say.
Mu advice - same as my wife's - is to say it loud and proud. It's important to believe in what you are saying. After all, if you don't make it sound like it's a good job, why would you expect anyone else to think it?
If you say with a smile on your face, "I play online poker for a living and it's the best job in the world to me", you chances of getting a favorable responce increase a hunderedfold. Rather than being the guy people are quick to make fun of, you'll be the envy of the room. Ultimately, people admire the independent spirit that it takes to strike out on your own in such a bold way, and they generally wish they had a bit more of it inside themselves.
I'll end this section as I began it, by reminding you that the man dignifies the job; the job doesn't dignify the man.
"Treat Your Poker Like A Business, Dusty Schmidt, 2009"
So one day I would like to play poker full time. At the moment I look after peoples pets and dog walk but I make just as much money playing poker and feel I have the drive to be able to be disiplined to play proper hours each day as I am currently playing poker and running pet care business equally.
I know if I told people what I did in the tentative way i would get the sarcastic smug smiles and sneaky comments behind my back so I will be loud and proud about it! hahaha
I would love to hear from everyone who has ever told people they play poker...how do you say it?...what are people's reactions?
ok so here is the extract:
When I first started playing poker for a living in 2005, virtually everyone I talked to thought I was out of my mind. I hated it when people asked me what I did for a living. I used to reply sheepishly, "Well, believe it or not, I actually play online poker for a living. I know, It's wierd, right? But, hey, it's paying the bills so far."
I would cringe while I said it and pray the person I was talking to wouldn't lecture me. I soon realised that a tentative reply was the exact opposite of what you want to say.
Mu advice - same as my wife's - is to say it loud and proud. It's important to believe in what you are saying. After all, if you don't make it sound like it's a good job, why would you expect anyone else to think it?
If you say with a smile on your face, "I play online poker for a living and it's the best job in the world to me", you chances of getting a favorable responce increase a hunderedfold. Rather than being the guy people are quick to make fun of, you'll be the envy of the room. Ultimately, people admire the independent spirit that it takes to strike out on your own in such a bold way, and they generally wish they had a bit more of it inside themselves.
I'll end this section as I began it, by reminding you that the man dignifies the job; the job doesn't dignify the man.
"Treat Your Poker Like A Business, Dusty Schmidt, 2009"
So one day I would like to play poker full time. At the moment I look after peoples pets and dog walk but I make just as much money playing poker and feel I have the drive to be able to be disiplined to play proper hours each day as I am currently playing poker and running pet care business equally.
I know if I told people what I did in the tentative way i would get the sarcastic smug smiles and sneaky comments behind my back so I will be loud and proud about it! hahaha
I would love to hear from everyone who has ever told people they play poker...how do you say it?...what are people's reactions?
Comments
PS please dont let anyone else know this ;o)
I am someway from making a living at Poker but I do get some incredulously looks when I tell people I put £10 into my Poker account last September and haven't added to it since. I even took lots of £'s out after a big win in a Friday night deepstack
I have got down to less than 30p a couple of times but managed to win something in a freeroll before my Poker Points ran out at the end of the month. Even the aforementioned deepie win was after I had got through the free qualifier having run out of dosh.
...and to think I didn't even know the rules of poker at the start. Had to look them up on the web before I played in my first SuperSaturday6 tourny!
Maybe next time you should say "I play poker and I make money!" and if they say anything say "well would you rather pay for me to be on benefits?!!"...that one will shut them up! lol
Quickfeet...I also find myself saying how much i started with and how I haven't had to reload...now I realise it's because I feel I have to justify what I'm doing and reassure people (who lets face it, is none of their dam business anyway) that I am not blowing hundreds of pounds into cyber space!
I think as poker players we need to be proud cos at least we have the guts to give something different a go!
I had a conversation with DoHHH and he asked me how the job hunt was going or something while i was on a table. I busted a guy, seen a comment a min later dam dole people (wasnt quite so nice) or something along those lines. Suddenly wthe enitre table called every single on of my raises. I onyl needed to hit the nuts once and i think i could have busted the entire table in one hand though.
I usually ignore the abuse, but i got off that table quickly not because of the abuse i dnt mind it but entire table v m2 5-1 dnt fancy my chances.
Id say im nowhere near good enough to class myself as pro. A number of these guys would fry me, plus i have the problem of tilting. If i tilt and lose £200 in a night, does that class and a good poker player ?
But then again i could play the best poker i know against far less players and win £200 but does that make me pro? Wouldnt think so. Personal opionion.
I think if anyone can class their selves as pro they have to be earning an average amount each week. Weather that average amount is £200 or £200,000 i dont know. Ive always looked at the sponsored players as the only "proper" pros. Then the next the semi pro players i would class as the very fgood players who earn a massive amount but fund their own way.
Thats my personal opinion and many people will disagree. But i also believe there is hundreds of amatuers who will play online and live poker for a living self funded, but we will never have heard of the majority of them.