Most people with normal office jobs aren't "working" 2000-2500 hours per year. They are socializing, browsing facebook, dilly dallying, grabbing coffee, pretty much doing everything but working.

There's really no comparison between the two. Having done both full-time, it never ceased to amaze me how truly useless the majority of corporate employees are, how little they work, how inefficient they all are etc.

People are in for a rude awakening when automation wipes out the semi-skilled white collar work force.

Also, FWIW, the number of people in this sub that have won $50,000+ for 5 years in a row can probably be counted on 1 hand.

I've been having a great 2018 so far playing small stakes, and I really wanted to take a min to many of the LLSNL posters who have actually improved my game with reading a lot of the hand histories in the last 6+ months. I've done a lot of lurking, but thought this might be the right thread to say thanks! I just hope the hot streak lasts, and I've really learned a lot about better hands to open, position, etc where as before 2p2 I'd throw in that last dollar in the SB with 82o just to see a flop. Now to me it's not even worth it.

So on to recent cashes...
1/3 casino, $300 buy in, left with around $1k

.50/1 home game, $50 BI, left with $480 (I'm very happy with the way I played most of these hands and could not lose!)

.25/.50 home game, $50 BI, left with $180 (I know it's not a fortune but hey 360 BBs)

Same .25/.50 game, $50 BI, left down $13 and my only losing session so far this year. This was after being up to somewhere around $250! Ugh! I am proud of the fact that even in this game I still haven't had to rebuy

1/2 casino, $300 BI ran up to $1250 in 3.5 hours

I want to thank you guys again and hope this is the right thread to post this

MikeStarr temp banned? lol

This is so true. One of my jobs they gave me a four month "project" that could've been done in a week if that. Most days I had literally no work to do. Just pretending to be busy while browsing facebook and 2+2, taking 90 minute lunch breaks and taking long washroom breaks to play Angry Birds. Job was so useless I quit to play poker even though the job paid decent.

would love to hear the story on that one

I’m on my third stint playing poker full time. I can only take it 3 to 4 months at a time. I’m estimating I put in an average of 200 per month at the table and another 100+ hours studying, reading, and watching videos.

I’ve made more during each those stints than most people make in a year. But it’s mentally, physically, and emotionally draining. It’s a negative environment where people aren’t providing value. Everyone’s trying to extract from everyone. There’s no real friendship.

If I had a bunch of money in the bank I wouldn’t play. I’m saving up now so hopefully I can find another way to sustain myself in the future. After this stint I’ll spend a few years traveling and focusing on health and opening up my heart.

I don’t have any ambitions of playing higher stakes anymore. It’s just too stressful and im not passionate enough about the game any more to try to be the one of the best, which I could if I put more time into the math side of things. Most players who play 5/10/20 and above are very good now. I’d rather take the guaranteed wins at 3/5 and get out once I have a decent amount in the bank.

I had no issues playing my 40 hours a week for the 8 months or so I was playing live full time. I've since found greener pastures playing online - which is much much tougher to grind 40 hours a week on.

The other factor is whether you plan on paying tax on that annual $60k or not.

Interesting. I found grinding lots of hours online to be much easier than live. I'm not comparing game difficulty but playing 40 hours a week online was relatively easy. I could just spin up some tables whenever I had a few hours, do it pretty much whenever. It's not like live where due to traffic and some days being substantially better than others I'm often spending 12+ hours per session. And live the atmosphere is sometimes downright depressing.

Yeah, I guess I find grinding online more physically draining. Because in live you're folding so much, say you're only using 20% of your brain power. Online you're constantly humming at 50%+ and the spots are usually much harder. You literally burn more calories because your brain is working harder.

I also had to wait sometimes hours on waitlists to get live volume in. But for me online rn, I'll get 7 hours in and be looking at the clock to see how much longer I have to grind for.

I've had the exact same experience. I'd say that the 'time' in poker is much much more difficult than a corporate job.

I'd say that some people are better suited for the corporate world than others. While I've spent most of my life in the corporate world, I definitely don't have the personality for it, as I actually value hard work, integrity, and don't mind speaking my mind. The drones don't like that very much.

God, I can't imagine working an office job for 2500 hours a year. Last year I worked about 1500 hours at my job and 263 hours of poker, and that felt like a grind.

And I have no family. I may just be lazy

Honestly, this is my biggest issue when I go through periods where I'm playing a lot. There's something about the environment where I tend to feel like I'm not making any sort of contribution to society (and I'm not), also seeing the negativity of many of the people around takes it's toll.

Some businesses have a real impact by providing value to customers, none of that happens in poker.

The mental aspect and what you describe above would really be the most difficult part for me.

Was the opposite for me. The longer I played, the more my relationships with regs, dealers, floor etc developed. It became a lot like hanging out with friends rather than a painful grind.

Also there are plenty of jobs where you don't feel like you're directly contributing to something. I think happiness while at work is much more important than what it is yours contributing to.

you on one of the Chinese apps?

Pretty much how I feel, but I think it has a lot to do with where you play and the general demeanor of the people who frequent your local room(s).

Yes, PM if you wanna discuss more.

Yeah 100%. My room is very well catered to recs and the homegames are really fun.

It’s definitely not easy. I’m on pace for 1600 this year but I also have a 1-1.5 hour commute each way. Once I live closer in a few months I’m pretty sure I’ll be on pace to average 2k.

I’m pretty strict about how I count time playing. I don’t count 1-1.5 hours each session I spend taking walk breaks, meal break, waiting for a table etc.

Yep, especially if you've sat vipassana, you know it's not a long term solution. It's just fast money.

My white collar job is soul crushing but I can't quit, I make too much money. Above a minimal baseline level of competence, corporate success basically requires being a terrible person. To ascend to the top of large organizations you have to play politics, be strategic and routinely **** over your colleagues. It's terrible.

Now, that said, hang around the casino long enough and it will crush your soul too. For different reasons, obviously.

Both require balance and discipline to avoid misery. Exercise and healthy eating have really helped me.

Why it for different reasons?

Poker also has playing politics, being strategic, and ****ing over your colleagues (which in this case are more-so your competitors but not in the same context).

I've spent many thousands of hours in casinos and other underground poker rooms.

In general, casinos are toxic predatory often smoke-filled environments where people come to fight. Slimy, grimy, dishonest, parasitic is the general vibe in the poker room. Casino owners want you to be addicted and distracted. They want to provide the unlimited dopamine hits we think we want. Superficial sensory pleasure is the casino's product.

Lots of casino people are addicted, unhealthy, and depressed. Many of them are running away from home issues. Lots of them lose money they cannot afford to lose. They gossip and back-stab non-stop.

I can see it in myself. I just spent a year getting into the best shape of my life, and in the 2+ weeks I've been playing poker, my mental and physical health have already taken a big hit. I'm getting into old habits again.

Now, this isn't to say there aren't a few cool people that play poker in the casino. Maybe 1 out of 15 or 20 are cool people. Maybe military or ex-military. Maybe successful retired businessperson. Maybe a grandma who just loves cards and never bluffs. Maybe a doctor who wants to compete. Maybe an older guy just getting into the game and loves to see flops and gamble, but doesn't do it to make money primarily. Those are cool people.

I avoid socializing or being friends with anybody who makes poker a central pillar of their lives or thinks poker is the greatest game ever. I avoid poker pros outside of some strategy talk.

I'm one of the biggest winners in the room. But it doesn't lead to any happiness. People don't somehow like you better because you win. They like you less. They want to destroy your emotions and self-esteem. They're not happy for you when you win a pot.

I won't spend any more time than I have to in these environments. It's in and out for me. Make my cash and say, "good riddance."

Man, you're depressing.

The truth is depressing.

Most of the jobs I have had paid well but I was just pushing paper. Not contributing anything.

The reality of this world can depress us if we've been programmed to think it's all rainbows and unicorns.

Men especially have to face the existential angst of the utter purposelessness of their existence. Some of the most creative artists, intellectuals, musicians, etc. have depressive tendencies. They realize society and capitalism doesn't want them to be creative for the benefit of human beings. The system wants to use these people's creativity and brilliance to enforce the status quo and keep people numb and drowning in distractions.

I've faced several bouts of severe depression that lasted for months at a time. It's tough to wake up to reality and get our dreams of fairy tales shattered over and over. I admit, I'm not in the best mental shape now. Living in the United States and spending lots of time in casinos crushes the spirit.

My goals drive me to be able to withstand the grind. Support my parents. Save up cash and be able to travel for a few years without thinking about money much.

I don't care if people don't agree with me. I've experienced what I've experienced. I've made lots of money playing poker and I know what it's like the be the most feared player in player pools of 300-400. It's not what it's made out to be. There's no true happiness to be had with success in poker as an end. For me, success in poker is just a means to an end to live a beautiful life outside of poker.