After spending almost $80 per person to enter the theme park, the patriarch of the family dragged his wife and kids from ride to ride in a blistering pace. The kids were cranky, tired, and hungry. His frustrated wife suggested that they find a comfortable spot to sit for an hour or so to take a break. Although he knew it sounded like a good idea, he urged everyone to forge onward in an attempt to "get our money's worth."

By late afternoon everyone was physically and emotionally worn. There were more complaints than laughter and more arguments than smiles. The dad's attempt to squeeze every last second of fun out of the day backfired utterly.

This same phenomenon happens at the poker tables all too often. We know that poker is best played when we stay patient. We know that we should fold most of our hands before the flop and wait for good cards and good position.

Yet we often feel rushed and driven while we play poker. With our lives so busy, we tend to not get the opportunity to invest as much time into poker as we would like, and when we finally do steal a few minutes out of our hectic schedules to play poker, we are the dad in the amusement park trying to hit every attraction possible to "get his money's worth." We dash into the first table that opens up rather than scout out the best seat.

Rather than attempting to sit back and keenly observe the other players at the table to catch a read on their style, we jump head-first into the action. We enter pots with questionable starting hands from less-than-optimal position. We bluff too often. We call too often. We play fast and we play hard.

It is understandably hard to convince some folks who've spent big money on theme park tickets that it would benefit them to slow down and ride fewer attractions. Instead, we often measure our success at the theme park by how many attractions we were able to ride. It can be maddening to some folks to sit under a shade tree and listen to the screams from those on the roller coaster. At the end of the day, though, that time spent recharging mental and physical batteries may be a very wise investment. Likewise, a busy amateur poker player who finally carves out some time to play poker is not easily convinced to play smart, patient poker.

Are you falling into the trap of attempting to get your "money's worth" out of your fleeting time at the poker felt? Do you find yourself annoyed by the fact that you're losing money-and quickly-when you do get to finally find time to play?

It is time for all of us to pause and take a hard look at our mindset before we take our next deal. We must be wholly disciplined and focused on winning in the long term.
If your goal is to feel a rush and to be entertained in the short run, you are off the mark.

Think of your stolen moments of playing time not as the complete session, but as just small bits of a much grander endeavor. Imagine that dad rushing his kids around the theme park replaced his one day pass with a season pass for the family. Knowing that he has all year to get his money's worth, he is much more likely to slow down and enjoy each individual day much more. If you can start to view your playing sessions in the same way, you might just start to see a positive impact on your play and your bankroll. I'm now bestowing upon you a lifetime season pass to the poker tables. Slow down. Take your time. Enjoy the ride!

Now go make it happen.

John Carlisle is a National Certified Counselor with a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from West Virginia University. Contact John at carlisle14@hotmail.com.