Helooooo tasty people. This is my 2nd thread that i'll update weekly. I'm a pro MTT mid stakes player and a coach from the UK, living in
Mexico.

I know a fair few players playing professional poker. Mainly mid stakes guys, some high and some low stakes. Some of them are beasts, some of them monsters, some of them I wouldn't mind sitting on my tables, some of them I'd definitely prefer not to. The main thing that I'm seeing though his how almost every one of them seem to miss such crucial concepts in poker, and thus within life. I'm constantly looking and looking, mainly to find role models. It's sad to say, the harder i look, the harder it is to honestly find. You know what I'm after: people who I can clearly see that are crushing life. That is the ONLY thing that matters!!! Sooooo many guys playing professionally seem to miss this, getting completely lost in their world of poker. What started as their dream jobs quickly turns into a monster that unconsciously swallows them up -- they end up
working like a slave to the pressures that they put on themselves, which does get them better at poker. That's the trap. They achieve their goals, but have missed the mark so much that their goals only seem to push their life in a more restless direction. Many don't realise how much
this costs.

I relate massively to anyone who recognises this. I can write so easily about this problem not just because of the amount of people I know, but because of how much of this was me. That constant unease. The constant want for more and the mindset to chase what we don't have. Absolutely exhausting. I noticed mainly through my receding hairline (laughing face). It's 100% not hereditary. Stress stress stress. The stress of our "dream lifestyle" that everyone assumes we have. The worst (or best) part is, we do have access to that lifestyle, it's just hardly anyone lives it.

For the record, the best poker players i've seen are semi-pro players. They use poker much more as a vessel in life. Of course their standard isn't as high, but how they interact with life through poker is lovely too see. Very honest. Many amateurs too have a lovely relationship with poker. They crush it. Their life is considerably better as they use it to socialise, network, grow through others and enjoy a hobby. They want to play and enjoy poker - that's it. Through that they improve their life. The amount of regs I know that wouldn't think of playing for nothing is a deep shame. Poker was so fun when you started.


So gone should be the days where we look at the 'best players' in the world as role models because of the wins they make. Your success in poker is only as good as however much it improves your life. So once you can look after, feed and shelter your loved ones, what do you want? Only to enjoy life as much as possible. To be content, and then happy, surely?

However many see Apestyles as a role model - he might be a monster at poker, but is hiring PR assistants to cover up a miserable home life. Or PADS, where you see his lack of joy and restlessness in him, covered up by the distraction of poker. Does anyone want their lives really? I DO NOT. I used to, but I found out what that really takes from you. Poker becomes life, rather than bettering it. How good are you then?


So i'm writing to all you regs out there, or those aspiring to take poker seriously; figure out how poker allows you to crush life.
To all of the fun players, or semi pros, do exactly the same. How good you are at poker is exactly what you get from it. That is personal to YOU, only! Know what that is, or will be, and you answer "How to crush poker?".


Achieve only your goals, from as honest place as possible. Don't chase the goals of someone else, please, because the influence of anyone out there that uses poker in a healthy way, or lives life in a healthy way can have more impact to the world than you'll ever know!


As always, lots of love. Dan xxx

P.S. please let me know of anyone who you think is crushing life with poker, whatever their level. We need real role models <3