Strive to Constantly Improve Your Poker Game

When you think of becoming a great poker player, you probably imagine a set journey in your mind.  A journey that has a beginning, a middle and an end.  Once you "arrive" at that finish line (at greatness) you're all set, right?  Not quite.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in poker (or anything else that requires skill) is to see it as a finite learning process.  If you dare to believe that once you complete the initial learning curve you will "know it all" and can stop striving to improve yourself and your game, you'll quickly realize that you have set yourself up for failure. 

The greatest gift you can give yourself is a realization that no matter what you do in life, you'll never "know it all".  There will always be more to learn, bigger and better skills to master, and improvements that can be made in all areas - in your poker skills and every other aspect of your life.

Part of this constant improvement includes developing yourself as a person.  What does personal development have to do with poker?  Everything!  The stronger, more focused and balanced you are within, the better you will be at everything you do, including poker.  And just like learning poker, personal development is a never-ending process.

Here are three easy ways to keep striving to become a better person and a better poker player:

1)  Always see yourself as a student, no matter how much you think you know.

Keep reading, learning, doing and growing as much as you can, both in your poker skills and in all other areas of your life.  There is ALWAYS something more to learn!  Challenge yourself to learn new strategies and try new things to keep your mind sharp.  Observe other players and consider what makes them great or not so great.  What are they doing that you could do better?  What are they doing that you want to be sure never to do?  Keep notes on the insights you gain as you go along.  Believe it or not, you can learn a lot simply by opening your mind and pondering questions like these and making a conscious intention to expand your perspective.

2)  Progress, not perfection.

This wise advice is not just applicable to 12-step programs!  In poker or anything else you do, striving for perfection is futile.  Do you know any person who NEVER makes mistakes?  Probably not.  Don't expect that of yourself either.  Part of progress comes from facing challenges, making bad calls and moving through setbacks.  Welcome this process!  Embrace it and let it mold and form you into a powerhouse of wisdom and confidence.

Make it a habit to constantly focus on advancing your skills and making progress every day.  As you do, you'll find yourself getting better and stronger almost effortlessly because you won't be so worried about being "perfect".

3)  Strength within, mastery without.

Remember that true mastery comes from doing something over and over again.  As you become comfortable with playing poker, you'll find your confidence and strength growing - and your mastery of it improving daily.  Don't make the mistake of seeking "quick fixes" or taking the easy way out.  The only way to be a great poker player is to develop the attributes of great players within yourself.  And you do that by playing and learning as much as you can.  With every hand, every game, you will get stronger and more skilled, and your results will show it.

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