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February 8, 2017
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I imagine others have had this experience, and I’m looking for some new ways to ‘cross-train.’ After Matt Berkey recommended it during Poker After Dark, I checked out David Foster Wallace’s “This is Water” commencement speech, and I think it improved my outlook on poker (and life in general, I highly recommend finding it on Youtube). It got me thinking of other things that have changed my approach to the game for the better.
– Other strategy games/video games
– Reading “Thinking Fast and Slow” (Kahneman) as well as some other books
– Martial Arts training
– Puzzles that require a lot of focus and/or pattern recognition (Sudoku, Crosswords, Rubix Cube, etc.)
Anyone have ideas, or stories about things that have helped them?
August 17, 2017
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What really helped me was reading about sports. I didn’t watch a game on TV for 8 years during my career, but I started becoming absorbed with analytics, thoughts on competition, and coaches’ analysis. It made me realize what I was missing mentally in my game and life. The analytics side retooled my game completely. I saw what we were missing in this game.
Weight training has helped me a lot. It clears your mind during competition and life in general. Discipline begets discipline. It’s easier to make close folds when you’re not writhing in anxiety.
Cooking helps me a ton with mindfulness. The process of learning something new reminds me to be humble during my poker process as well.
Learning anything new really helps you learn anything. It teaches you to break down challenges into manageable goals. I’ve taken classes lately in nutrition, weight training, driving, cooking, boxing, and tango dancing (girlfriend might have had something to do with that). Skill Share is a good site for this.
Reading any form of nonfiction is good. I tried to read one Blink from Blinkist every day.
Humility is really a huge issue. Learning anything new will remind you of how normal you are, and it will make you deconstrunct your auto-pilot poker game more.
February 8, 2017
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Thanks Alex, that is really insightful. Couldn’t agree more about the humility thing. I’ve gotten better, but the high of stringing together great sessions can put me in a bit of a foolish mindset. I’m lucky to have a girlfriend who is not shy about shattering my illusions, but I will make a point of taking on difficult new challenges the next time I start feeling like a poker god. Maybe even tango dancing
Recently I’ve struggled a bit with the other side of the emotional spectrum, after a downswing followed by 4+ months of breakeven results. As much as I know stretches like this are normal and inevitable throughout my career, I can’t pretend that my game is quite as solid at the moment as it used to be. Mainly I notice during review that I’ve missed good bluffing spots, and folded some hands that were marginal (but quite likely profitable) calls.
I watched a commencement address by J.K. Rowling the other day and she spoke about the value of failure. It’s an old idea but the way she put it was heartening and made me feel better about recent results and life in general. I think I’ll work to embody Beckett moving forward:
“Ever Tried, Ever Failed. No Matter. Try Again, Fail Again. Fail Better.”
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August 25, 2012
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I think the best thing you can do for yourself in studying outside of poker is to do things that will improve your perspective on life, and as a result, improve your mental game. Anything that helps you understand yourself on a deeper level will be useful.
I’d also recommend The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin as one of the most important books for anyone trying to get really good at anything. It gives a great insight into the process of learning to master a specific discipline.
February 5, 2015
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ginger45 said
“I’d also recommend The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin as one of the most important books for anyone trying to get really good at anything. It gives a great insight into the process of learning to master a specific discipline.”
I’ll second this…it’s one of the great books I’ve read. I have recommended this book many times in the forums. Out of sheer personal vanity Matt, did you read it after my recommendation?
DDD said:
“I watched a commencement address by J.K. Rowling the other day and she spoke about the value of failure. It’s an old idea but the way she put it was heartening and made me feel better about recent results and life in general. I think I’ll work to embody Beckett moving forward:
“Ever Tried, Ever Failed. No Matter. Try Again, Fail Again. Fail Better.””
Similar theme emerges in Waitzkin’s book. Only those whose egos are too fragile cannot abide defeat. The true capacity for growth comes from investing emotionally in loss. Waitzkin is a martial artist, and he talks of actively seeking out superior opponents to fight in order to learn…and lose along the way.
Truly it is perhaps the most inspiring and yet humble book I have read.
He became a world champion martial artist.
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August 25, 2012
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The Riceman said
ginger45 said“I’d also recommend The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin as one of the most important books for anyone trying to get really good at anything. It gives a great insight into the process of learning to master a specific discipline.”
I’ll second this…it’s one of the great books I’ve read. I have recommended this book many times in the forums. Out of sheer personal vanity Matt, did you read it after my recommendation?
I love the honesty, but no, I can’t remember where I first heard about the book but I’ve been meaning to read it for years and just got around to it. Although I suppose if I can’t remember, that does mean there’s a small chance it was from you! 
I think it’s one of the most important books for anyone aspiring to be a high-level performer in anything, especially poker.
August 17, 2017
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I loved The Art Of Learning! And I think we all heard about it on the Tim Ferriss podcast 😀
As for doing things outside of poker during a downswing, I honestly think lifting weights of any kind is huge. I’ve only been doing it again for four months, but I can feel my mind processing stress differently. Before, I’d go into panic mode and shut down. Now I know there’s a way to handle it.
Break even actually means you’re playing really well. All my clients who are excellent at poker break even during the bad stretches.
I have never once met a successful man who didn’t face adversity. It seasoned him. It strengthened him. It bettered him.
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