I play live poker, mostly 5/10 NL and am very competitive. There are certain players who go after me and vice versa. There are some who have ran good against me or think I’m weak so they’re constantly 3betting me, seat changing to get position on me and trying to battle or exploit me. And there are some players who are just douchebags.

Everyone hates losing, but I especially hate losing to the above mentioned players.

Whenever they are at my table I get ultra focused and competitive because I want to beat them.

But course, with poker, often you are inevitably at the mercy of luck.

Whenever I lose to them I feel my fight instinct. It’s like my ego is hurt. I almost take it personally and want to get revenge. I usually don’t act on these feelings though, I keep playing solid and wait for the right moment to pounce, but inside I’m boiling. And if I end up losing to them again I get angry on the inside even though on the outside I brush it off.

Is this normal?

Do you keep good track of your results? You don't really sound like a winning player.

Try to only play with one of these guys at your table at a time and just study his play and behavior while you play super tight. You will gain information and that should start to give you some edge. Keep working on your game and focus on the mental side of the game. You're obviously taking things way too personally and maybe your imagination is running wild.

"Whenever they are at my table I get ultra focused and competitive because I want to beat them."

This sounds like tilt to me.

I keep track of my results and have been a long term winner. Most seem to view me as a winning player as I’m always sitting deep, although some may think I’m spewy. My style is loose aggressive.

I have those thoughts but I don’t act on them. However they may still subtly affect the way I play when I want to “go after” certain players. Overall, those thoughts just make the game more stressful for me because I am taking it personally. I know I’m supposed to be detached from my emotions in the game and although I act detached, I’m quietly rooting against certain players and put a target on their back.

I would like to let go of this ego and taking things personally (even though I suspect certain players feel the same about me). I feel like it brings up too many negative emotions when I play poker.

the only person you should be at war with is the man in the mirror

targeting people bc you don't like them is really just a waste of mental energy

mental energy is a precious resource , do not waste it on these things

you need to find peace in knowing that you will inevitably lose pots to people that you may not like and vice versa

This is a natural mind state that is induced by the Live NL environment.

The liking and disliking of someone mostly happens unconsciously. It's great that you are aware enough to recognise the issue here.

From what I know here's what I would suggest:

1) Recognise the players you dislike/hate.

2) Recognise they will likely cause distressed states of mind in the future.

3) Recognise the stupidity of such a state of mind.

4) Build a true inner commitment to be aware of your state of mind - "I will be aware of my state of mind because I see the futility of becoming distressed"

5) Notice how real time awareness grants you powers that are not so easily described.

PS the larger issue at play here seems to be the way you treat competition in general. I would suggest reading The Inner Game of Tennis. There's a lot that can be taken away and applied to poker.

^ good responses. IMO these kinds of emotions are often hard to ignore, and you just have to embrace them...and identify them as they arise in real time so the dont subtly harm your decision making

if one of these guys switches seats and gets position on you, it is hard to ignore the feeling that there is a predator sitting beside you waiting for the chance to stack you. the bottom line is you need to preserve your decision making process, and recognizing these emotions in real time is the best way IME

Is the room you play in small?
Do you have the option of table change when these guys show up at your table?
If the answer to 1 is yes and 2 is no, then I don't know what else to say, other than we should usually avoid the tough players and seek out the fish when we can.
Don't make poker an ego thing.

Dude.

EVERYONE there wants to stack us.

Or anyone else.

That's why we all play.

Adapt or perish - assume a samurai mentality and be aware.

"A twig snapping a mile away is the only warning we get". (sorry, forgot where I heard this 30 years ago.)

Respect your combatants as enemies in battle.

Read some Sun Tzu ("The Art of War") and you will be mentally ready.