For professional poker players, the mental side of the sport is particularly important. With the ability to stay focused and focus on making good decisions up to possible is crucial, even if the cards aren't running our way.
One way I'VE BEEN capable of stay focused while playing is to follow the approach taken by a famous Polish ski jumper, Adam Małysz. He retired from ski jumping in 2011 after winning several Olympic medals and 4 World Championship titles and instantly took up rally driving - that's some incredible competition focus. His accomplishments are well regarded around the globe and he's still very talked-about in Poland today.
Poker and ski jumping are similar in many ways. In both for those who aren't thinking correctly and your mind isn't curious about the duty at hand, things can get it wrong very quickly.
During his career Małysz worked with sports psychologists and learned that the most efficient approach when competing was to not consider results, but to think solely in regards to the jumps he needed to make. He accomplished this by always eating a banana and a roll of bread before jumping.
When eating he'd focus only on eating. Then he'd turn his thoughts to the jump only, and never look forward to consider winning or losing. Then he'd compete and really often on the end he will be the winner.
His pre-jump routine became well known, and in Polish people confer with it by the fast phrase "bułka z bananem." It's widely recognized enough that many of us know what's meant when someone refers back to the phrase "bun and banana."
For me after I play poker I ATTEMPT TO do something similar. When playing a tournament, I DON'T BELIEVE in regards to the first prize, and when playing cash games I DO NOT BELIEVE in regards to the money I WOULD win or lose. I instead deal with each decision, hand by hand, and take a look at to play each in addition to possible -- almost like Małysz specializing in each jump, one jump at a time.
There are alternative ways I ATTEMPT TO maintain a transparent mind so my mental game is powerful once I play. I play sports and check out to stay physically healthy, which makes it easier to think clearly. I try also to not have too many distractions or anything happening clear of the table that will cause me to lose focus, if might help it. I you'll want to settle everything before I take a seat to play so I WILL concentrate completely on playing my best.
So far these efforts have proven fruitful for me with regards to my results. Even if things aren't going my way, I still feel good that i am playing my best and specializing in each decision because it comes. I've even met with some of the same sports psychologists with whom Małysz worked, having a couple of good sessions with him which have been helpful.
Everyone is different, of course, and so it can be you wish to have any other routine or way of helping you focus when looking to accomplish a goal or achieve success when competing. But work on it, and maybe one can find your individual bułka z bananem.
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com]
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