Poker is a much more obvious choice if you don't have other good options yes. But even with other decent options poker can be a solid choice for the right person. It's impossible to know for sure which is better since you can't go down both paths to see the end result of each, but I can say that for me I think poker was the right choice. A big part of the reason why poker doesn't work out for many people (besides the stressful nature of variance and need to adapt as games change) is because they don't treat poker like a job and they don't make smart decisions with their money. People being terrible with their money isn't exclusive to poker players, but the effects are felt much more because they get a few years down the line and have nothing to show for their work and are forced into a transition starting at the bottom somewhere. If you are smart about the games you are playing and saving a lot of money than it will be hard to be worse off when it comes time to think about doing something else. There are so many positives that come with playing poker for a living, so as long as you are smart about protecting yourself from the obvious downsides, it can be a very good option. It's very hard to adapt and succeed over a long period of time though and it's a unique kind of stress so I still wouldn't suggest it to most people, especially in the current landscape. But it's not as simple as poker only being a good option if your other option is to work the counter at mcdonalds.

Mickey Ds got them sweet bennys tho man!

I'm believe I'm doing the opposite of the poker pros in this thread.
I've had a career for the last 30 years (current age is 54) and will be eligible to retire with a pretty good life long pension in less than 2 years. I've worked for the same organization since I was 24 yrs old and started at the bottom earning 18k a year back in 1989.

In my organization, I'm considered an upper-middle manager and oversee the work of approx 150 employees (sic brag). Yes, I have a boss who oversees an area three times the size of my operation. It took me most of my career to reach my current position.
I say the above not to sound arrogant but to give you an idea of where many of us rec poker players are in their life. I'm sure you see us every weekend in the card rooms.

I've played as a rec players for the last 15 yrs or so and have been profitable the last 10 yrs, my hourly is not huge but is plus ev. The rec player catagory i fall into is that I play poker for fun but do take the game seriously and study the game. I know who the pros are (they are there every time I am, and are tough to play against).

My plan is to play more after retirement and will be super satisfied if I can grind out 15k a year as a stipend, but won't need to rely on the money for my life expenses.

I enjoy poker because I see it as a brain game against my opponents, the one that makes the best decisions in the long run ends up the winner. My plan is to play Thurs-Sat evenings and enjoy the rest of the week playing retirement.

Do I hate my job, No.
After 30 years, am I ready for another chapter in my life, Yes.

P.S. I don't post much here, but read quite a bit.

Thanks, Tim

Which is definitely a noble path. You will have lived your live as a productive, accomplished, satisfied man and can live out your days playing a game you enjoy, for the sake of the enjoyment it brings.

Nobody talks about 'the poker life' in terms of the eras of life you don't get back. Prime, prime ****ing years. Years spent in pursuit of something immediately gratifying, but existentially, utterly empty.

"I spent my 20s and 30s tricking people into making bad decisions so I could take ski trips to Banff and post pics on the internet BALLA..."

You don't realize how sad that is until its too late.
Sure, a few weird autistics can find professional poker a rewarding, core aspect of their life but anyone with any kind of self or social awareness will eventually realize professional poker is basically the life equivalent of the rush you get from empty calories, without the nutrition you actually need to survive.

We're starting to see a few people get woke to this, since the poker boom now has enough road in the rear view, guys in their 20's and 30's back then are starting to age into those weird, nether-years when you start to realize this show eventually comes to an end and thus, make an accounting of what you chose to do with your time here. What it all means... just how little you have left and man, what you wouldn't ****ing give- all the money- to get just a little of the old days back and do something more meaningful with it.

Once the novelty wears off, all you're left with is the grind and the nagging realization that the money wasn't worth the time.

But in the meantime, you watch the 'new enthusiasts' come charging in, sounding like we all once did. You tell them this and listen to them say HAHA DONK UR JUST A FISH! SOUR BECAUSE YOU LOST!... even though you still take their money to this day. Day in and out. Because you've become like a campground dumpster bear, unable to do anything else.

Do not go down this path.

I am believe this was a sick brag daddy. gg glgl

Great post

Poker is fun when there are people in the game willing to donk of their chips or mediocre players who u can bluff of their hand and make them call when u have it.

When ur in a game full of lasersharp nerds takin their time every street, never tilt, pickin of every bluff and fold to ur monsters u just wanna kill urself... or ur opponents. And thats basicly what online poker is nowadays.

^True

It's absolutely not, maybe at the highest stakes on a Tuesday night sure, at mid stakes or in bigger events absolutely not.

I didn't read through a ton, but yea I'm having trouble finding myself. Had this for a while.

I'm not sure what I want in life. I got into poker because of the strategy and trying to outsmart your friends and when you're friend beat you it was like "Oh damn! You got me on that one". Like it's all fun. Sometimes I just want to see if I can make some money so it can give me more freedom and when you have an anxiety disorder and can't imagine working anywhere and you haven't been playing for a while and you don't enjoy the game as much as you used to you start to think what the next step is.


I'll play a little bit when I'm feeling I want to have fun, but it's not as regular as it used to be and I'm not really sure what my next step is.

Your next step is neuroplastic training so you have less anxiety. Do affirmations and meditation that work on anxiety and get your endogenous anti anxiety meds goin. You could always go the exogenous route that the docs like to sell but that's a quick road to addiction and from a science talk I just heard of will make you brains to mush. Exogenous GABA receptor drugs (ie anti anxiety meds) are no bueno.

Very true. I remember someone describing the Zoom Pokerstars cash games to me as follows: "Everyone folds to your bets when you hit a big hand, but call you down with any pair when you're bluffing"

poker seems to be to profitable enough with the huge rake thats the reason everyone is quitting knowdays ..

In my view, this might be what it feels like at retirement age looking back on a 9-5 career you grinded.

It's really simple. Cherish the freedom poker earns you over the money. If prime years were wasted that isn't poker's fault.

*As an aside - getting into poker without loving the game I couldn't discourage more. You'll burn out like a dying star.

It’s best as a second job, imo.

Keep a main gig with good benefits and then stack chips from drunkards at night.

^^
This. Except they don't have the be drunk. It's quite satisfying to contribute to society and not just be a leech. Plus two sources of income >> one.

This is spot on..

So I'm a leech because I make money playing poker now instead of loading trucks with a forklift like I used to?

I mean, we kind of are lol

Yeah I mean if I didn’t have a day job I would consider myself one too. (I’m a semi-leech I suppose.) All we are doing by playing for income is taking money away from other people.

There are very few altruistic jobs in today's society unfortunately. Poker is definitely better as a supplemental income though.

well damn, may need therapy to come to terms with this

everyone i know who quittes the games is broke living .. all others still gambles ..

Just use the justification of "they are going to play and give that money to somebody...." like everyone else.

Something you can do that a lot of others will not, is make it a pleasant and fun environment for recreational players. At least then, you can feel like you are giving something back.

Result: averaging $1/hr at the live micro 4/8 limit for the past seven months

When I resumed playing poker last year, I had the intention of playing poker as a side job.

Like most people, my emotion fluctuate depending on my performance at the table.

However, I lost like $412 and for the very first time, I felt happy about it!

Obviously, nobody including myself enjoy losing money at the table.

The reason that I was happy was because I finally got the answer that I was looking for when it comes to poker.

I can never play poker professionally or semi-professionally. This realization was enlightening to me because I struggled with this question for many years.

The best that I can do is not lose at poker. That was when I finally came to the realization that I would be a recreational poker player no matter what I do.

That was how I could be at peace losing over $400 in poker last week. I just treated it like it was an entertainment expenses like going to a ski trip.

I have finally given up all hope in making any money at poker. This process of letting go made me happy.

$400 is a minimal price to discover this about myself, IMO.