I once read that "It is the sign of a noble heart to be well-endowed with patience." Patience is the sign of a great poker player as well. You will never see a strong player become desperate. Desperation is the enemy of patience. It's the worst emotion on and off the poker table.

It always amazes me when a dumped lover gets so desperate that he or she begins to obsess about the ex-lover, the dumper. They call the dumper over and over and over and over again, telling the person who dumped them that they will never be the same without them. That is the worst thing to do for your pride, self-respect and most importantly, the worst thing you can do if you want them back, if you want to get back at them, or if you want to get over them.

It happens at the poker table too, in live and in tournament games. If Mr. or Ms. Desperate plays a hand, they are the best people to annihilate because they are off their game; they are irrational, and will make decisions that are clouded, desperate, and lacking in all poise and patience.

Exercise patience- especially when you're in short supply. There is no pill you can take for patience. It takes faith and discipline and stumbling, and standing up again and again. The only way for patience to grow inside us is by asking ourselves for it. Patience is a mysterious creature. Don't dissect her too much. She is not a mathematical equation. Be gentle and she will appear. Everyone feels desperation, nobody is immune to this emotion-even if you are a mathematical godless "human" robot-we all feel a buffet of emotions but human beings differ in how they deal with emotions.

I am a person who leads life with my heart, I'm kinesthetic by nature and it has taken me a long time to learn that when I feel desperate, to call on Mr. Logic and Mr. Rational in spite of how I feel. I love who I am. I see God in rainbows and I am thankful for that, but I have learned that logic, realism and rational thinking are very important tools in life and as well as in poker.

While "there's no crying in baseball," it's okay to feel negative emotions. Just don't camp there. Don't stay in those ugly places because the dealer's about to give you two fresh cards. Call in Mr. Logic and Mr. Rational because Miss Heart needs to cool off so she can restore herself and sharpen her sister, Miss Instinct. Greg-who is my best friend and tournament poker mentor-has a poker mantra that goes like this: "You can always wait longer than you think."

Have A Mentor? Most great poker players have, or had, a poker mentor. My mentor is my Papa-a lucrative player in live, limit cash games. Because of my Dad, I can break you in live, limit cash games. Now I have Greg; he is my mentor for tournament/cash/no-limit games. Since listening to Greg, my tournaments skills are catching on fire.

Until we meet again, don't worry, when you are ready for a mentor he or she will appear.