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 get 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 they begin to obsess about their ex-lover the dumper. They call the dumper over and over and over and over again, they let the person who dumped them know 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 IF YOU WANT THEM BACK or if you want to "get" back at them or if you want to get over them.
The preceding illustration parallels what happens at the poker table, 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, they are irrational, and they will make decisions that are clouded, desperate and lack poise and patience. Exercise patience especially when you have none left. There is no pill you can take to 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 and beyond for it. Lady Patience is a mysterious realm, don't dissect her too much, she is not a mathematical equation, just be gentle with her and she will appear.
Everyone feels desperation, nobody is immune to this or any emotion, (even if you are a mathematical Godless "human" robot) we all feel a buffet of emotions but the difference between human beings is how they/we deal with these emotions, especially desperation and negative feelings. 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 do 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 especially poker. There's no crying in baseball and there is none in poker but hey we are human beings and we feel what we feel. So when you do feel negative emotions it's okay but do not 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's Poker Mantra is: "You can always wait longer than you think." Greg happens to be a genius who is my new best friend and poker mentor, hallelujah!
Have A Mentor? All the great poker players of the world have or have had a poker mentor. My mentor is my Papa; he is consistently a lucrative player in live, limit cash games. Because of my Dad, I can break you in live, limit cash games, best believe that one, or someday you may learn the hard way, (big smile.) Now, my friends I have Greg, he is my mentor for tournament/ cash/no-limit games. Since listening to Greg who is (in my opinion) the best player in the world my tournaments skills are catching on fire, watch out!
Until we meet again, don't worry, when you are ready for a mentor, he or she will appear.
