Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyBuz
How new is new? I've got about 1000 hours logged and am starting to consider quitting my job to play. Most people would say I am insane (6 figure job, great benefits) but the hours are long and it's kind of soul crushing. I want to work for myself some day (real estate), but between my job and poker I have little time for anything else right now.
Poker can be soul crushing too. What do you want to do in real estate?
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyBuz
Poker gets me excited because a) I enjoy it and b) I think it can lead to financial independence. My job? Not so much.
Poker does not lead to financial independence any more than your job does. Money leads to financial independence. Poker could provide you more independence and flexibility overall.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyBuz
I'm a bit of a night owl anyway so I think playing at night and working on my business during the day would actually work for me. But interested in hearing from others that left the corporate world behind them to play (if they even exist).
What business?
Those players exist.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natamus
1000 hours logged? Dude that's only half a year of full time. Put in 10,000 hours (or equivalent #hands online) and you'll start to approach enough experience to know if poker as a life is right for you.
You want him to wait another 10 years before making his decision?
Quote:
Originally Posted by squid face
My man, please do not quit your job to play poker. It would be a huge mistake. Poker is not going anywhere. Put it on the back burner and focus on your job plus real estate. Once real estate is humming then quit yer job and then refocus on poker.
What I am saying is rely on poker as a last choice. I have said this a million times - poker is a great part time gig but as a full time deal I am positive you can do better
I agree with this. If you want to start focusing on investments or a business take a break from poker a bit. Heck, you could probably even start slacking a bit at work to focus on that stuff. I'm just saying, the worst they can do is fire you anyways and that shouldn't be much of a threat if your alternative is to quit anyways.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnny_on_the_spot
Why the F would you play 2000 hours/year?!? Part of the appeal of poker is working less than working stiffs. If you're gonna work the same amount as a normal job, take the normal variance free job unless you make significantly more from poker, like 2-3x
One may play 2000 hrs a year because they want to become financially independent, or want to buy stuff, or they've been running bad and need to get out of the red, or maybe just maybe they are playing 2000 hours a year because it's their job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyBuz
Financial independence = passive income. Yah I could stay at my company and retire at 62 with a $3 million 401k but that seems like a waste of a life to me.
Damn.. this is what everyone always says. Even a guy that left his corporate job to play told me the same thing. Is it really like crossing over a threshold from part time enthusiast to full-time player?
I would be taking a somewhat significant pay cut initially, but is freedom, flexibility and general happiness and well being worth the pay cut?
Yah the general idea would be not to quit my job just to log the same number of hours at the casino. It would be to work less hours, while having more time to devote to passive income streams.
When 2015 is all said and done I will have logged ~2500 hours at my real job and ~850 hours at the poker table. That's 3350 hours of labor "work" with no time devoted to passive income. Just a lot of saving and building up my nut. The pace is unsustainable though - I often go into work getting only 2-3 hours of sleep a night.
I have some investments in play right now and I think if I get to 200k in liquid assets it would make me feel comfortable enough to cut the cord. I wouldn't necessarily be playing to put food on the table, it would still be my side hustle while I am doing my real "work" during the day with real estate.
If ever there is a time to do something like this it's when you're young and single right? I probably couldn't get my exact job back if needed, but I could find another finance gig.
Not sure what kind of work you are talking about in real estate but it sounds like you are potentially going to be balancing two high risk professions, neither of which you have a proven record in, when you would be better off balancing a stable job with a risky side gig...until eventually you have grown the side gig to be more like a full time gig.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyBuz
A sustained winrate > my hourly at my job
Poker confidence is at an all-time high, but I think more importantly I've really worked on my game/table selection and situational awareness over the last 3-4 months whereas the first half of the year was focused mainly on leaks, decision making, etc.
I doubt your current real winrate is higher than your hourly, but when you consider job benefits it most certainly is not. Plus it's riskier.
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Originally Posted by BirdsallSa
From many of your hands you've posted, I don't think there's a huge chance you'd make it right now as a full time pro.
Based on what I have read, I think he could make it but it's just not worth it IMO. If he was making under $50k/yr at his job I'd be more on board.