Take a moment to evaluate the amount of time and psychological energy that you invest into the game of poker. Even away from the table, how much of your daily focus is directly placed on your last game, your next game, or your bad beats? Have you been thinking about poker during your morning commute, during your lunch break, while in the bathroom, or while at the family dinner table? Perhaps you’ve even thought about poker while you slumber, tossing uncomfortably around the bed as you have nightmares about cracked aces. If so, does that mean that you are thinking about poker too often?

I can imagine that many of you are reading this article with a wry, suspicious smirk on your face while expecting me to tell you that you’re thinking about poker “too much.” You may even be guessing that I’m about to lecture to you about gambling addictions and unhealthy obsessions. I urge you not to be so hasty in your assumptions, though, as I actually believe that many of us do not think about poker enough to reach success! Being a successful and profitable poker player involves much more than logging tons of hands online and reading some books on strategy, as it involves serious and deep psychological and intrapersonal self-monitoring. It can involve a healthy obsession on your game and how to continually improve your play.

Sports Psychologists are staffed by almost every major sports organization out there, helping their high-priced athletes employ the psychological and visualization techniques to improve their game and self-confidence. In comparison to their athletic contests, poker is much more psychological and intellectual in nature. That being said, it is quite clear that the thinking time that we invest while away from the table will certainly play huge dividends at the table. If we learn to funnel our thinking into constructive, helpful sessions of self-evaluations, we will certainly be improving our game

A key skill is finding the appropriate balance for yourself in terms on thinking time. How much time and psychological energy must I invest to reach my goals? The “correct” balance is completely personal, depending primarily on your own goals. Just as Bill Gates probably thinks about computer systems during the majority of his day, Phil Ivey has stated that he is “constantly thinking about poker.” They have both risen to become giants in their chosen obsessions, partially due to this unwavering psychological drive. If your goals have you playing near the same level as the top-level pro’s, you must follow this lead. On the other hand, if you play two times per month in your buddy’s basement and your primary goal is to bust your boss, you should not be thinking about improving your poker game nearly as much.

No matter your chosen level and goals, though, you must work to make the thinking and re-thinking effective and helpful. Fretting about a bad beat for hours or days is certainly not constructive. We must always combat our natural tendency to stay mentally “stuck” on that single moment of poor luck, and instead move onto personal evaluations which are more likely to help us improve for the long-run. School teachers and therapists often talk about the “light bulb” moment, which is that exciting second when a person’s eyes light up and a smile crosses their face when they break-through to understand a new concept. Just like a 9th grader understanding algebra for the first time, you could be just about to experience your light bulb moment while driving home from work. Perhaps you are about to uncover a gap in your game, visualize a tell that you’ve been likely tipping off, or better realize what your table image is perceived to be by your opponents. Maybe you can better clarify your personal goals, come up with a plan to emotionally cope with an occasional bad beat, and plan on how to go about managing your bankroll.

With poker being the ultimate psychological and intellectual game, we must all take the time and effort to think about our thinking. The mental skills involved in this amazing game are just as vital (if not more vital) than strategic skills such as understanding pot odds and position. Once you harness the power of your thinking to help improve your game, you will find yourself meeting more success than ever at the table. Now go make it happen.

In addition to being a poker enthusiast, John is a certified Counselor in his home state of Pennsylvania. He has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lock Haven University. You can find out more about the psychology of poker from the “Poker Counselor” at www.pokerstrategyforum.com.