jasey

Fuel Surge can be a real B@st@rd .

Pavlo

I find this quite interesting because I am an optimist.

Ultimately you need to do two things:

1. Have faith
2. Not be afraid to fail

Now after a run of bad luck, you might think that #1 is a 2 pence saying repeated by idiots with their head in the sand. However, by conquering #2 you will find #1 comes easily.

SO how do you have no fear of failure? Well, suffering failure is about the best way, but you have to be smart, play the odds. It's hard to explain, but it's like that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you need to make a choice, like asking out a girl. When you realise that if you give yourself the right choices, the worst that can happen is nothing at all, and the best that can happen is everything and more. So you can only gain by making this choice, wouldn't you like odds like that in poker!?

Ultimately that's what it comes down to. If I blow up my engine trying to make my car the fastest in the UK, it's only going to cost me some time and money. But I can afford both, and I'll enjoy both the rewards of success, or the feeling of accomplishment in creating something new if I am forced. I will miss the money a little, but it wont put me in a bad position that scares me, so I figure the risks are containable, and the rewards worth it.

So I go forward with a positive mind, and absolutely will not stop until I have reached my goals.

Paul

Vegescoob

Saxo Boy, go see a counsellor who practises cognitive behaviour therapy.
It might help.

SiPie

Kenny

I totally see where you are coming from with regards to looking at things from all angles and in honesty I'm just jealous that my stoned mind can't be arsed to be so analytical about things most of the time......

I obsessed over the scoob blowing up to probably the same level that you did...... it's just that mine did

Not saying there is anything wrong with the way you lead your life mate, I just reckon you'd benefit and gain some positivity from binning the job and taking 'anything' in the meantime....if you can earn enough from the poker, then feckin brilliant, as it must be the danglies to make a living doing something you are so into...

The job's the main reason for you being so down...IMHO

ProperCharlie

Maybe you need to think about what you actually want.

To me, you don't seem very unhappy, based on what you have written here. Although you have a tendency towards self doubt, you are also aware of your abilities. Maybe you just don't know what the hell you want to do? You don't have any goal, therefore no focus etc etc. I wouldn't rush into jacking your job in just because "it's getting you down". What are you gonna do, play poker all day? Unless you have decided positively that you want to do something else, and you know what that something is and you have a plan as to how to achieve it, I don't think you will benefit by leaving your job (unless you leave to go to a better one, of course )

LG John

PMSL Was actually telling someone about your car today in conversation! My brain, looking at things from all angles in all, probably wouldn't have let me drive at full boost in EVERY gear having just seen turbobotch (or whatever his name was ) short out the electrics. Buy hey

PC is correct, I don't really know what I want to be doing. At 26 I have at least my entire life again in 'working life' ahead of me so I really need to sort something out. In truth I expect that at some point poker will become my primary/only source of income but that time is not now. I will only take that step when I have a £50k poker bankroll and £50k in a savings account in case it goes pear-shaped. Too many other peeps have tried to play for a living without these reserves and have been taught!

Maybe I should work on being more positive about my job in the meantime. If I feel a little better about that it might filter down. I found myself having a few negative thoughts tonight when playing poker but I quickly remembered this thread and stopped worrying. Strangely I had a little more clarity of mind.....and made £230 in less than one hour to boot

SiPie

Turbobotch.... Class

Drunken Bungle Whore

The key is to be happy with who you are - whether you're an optimist or a pessimist - despite what everyone else thinks.

If you're only changing because of what other people have said, then you're onto a looser - you will only ever succeed in changing yourself if you're doing it for yourself and not to please anyone else.

I'm a raging optimist - but I constantly get told that I'm naive and idealistic - though frankly I couldn't give a bugger - I am who I am and I'm happy with that.

If you really do want to change then do it a bit at a time and don't expect one book to work wonders (personally I could cheerfully thump Tony Robbins, but I know he works for some people).

Get away from Scooby Net and figure out what it is you really want and then you can start making changes.

jasey

Sounds like good advice - Easier said than done .

Boost II

iTrader: (1)

• Start some regular exercise if not doing so - feeling fitter and less tired will help and there's the endorphins and all that.
  
• Drink less if booze if that is an issue. It is a depressant after all and the liver uses up a fair bit of energy clearing it all. Going round feeling groggy next day does not help positive frame of mind.
  
• Don't plan for tomorrow, plan for today. If you are not enjoying today there is no point worrying about what will happen tomorrow.
  
• Read some science books about evolution - convice yourself that we are basically just a certain kind of ape and that we all evolved from slime in the sea etc. Once you accept that life was just a big coincidence, there is less reason to look for some hidden deeper spiritual meaning, you will feel under less pressure and you may find it easier to lighten up. It is all pretty interesting reading anyway.
  
• Read some science books on the universe and its creation. Again in the vast scheme of time and space you are virtually insignificant. In no time at all there will be no trace you were ever here and not long after that the earth and the sun wont even be here. Whilst this could sound depressing it should help with a positive attitude by helping remove the pressure that you need to be going somewhere, doing something, bettering yourself - none of it matters overall. Only that you have a good time whilst you are here and are nice to the people that love you.
  
• Prozac? - no seriously
  
• Spend time around some real screw ups to get some perspective - drug rehab, mental assylum or just coming on here. Should make you feel more optimistic about who YOU are.

SiPie

You are having a laugh ...... aren't you

Seroxat and Prozac should both be banned IMHO or at least not handed out like sweeties by a GP who has seen you for 5 minutes

Been there, done that and it should be reserved for clinical depression only and Kenny is nowhere close to that...

Prozac nation indeed

Your first 3 points are pretty valid though

LG John

Drove an S2000 today with the roof down in the sun - feeling strangely uplifted and positive now Let the obsession begin...............

Leslie

At the age of 26 SB, most people would just tell you to get a grip and take a hold of life without the need to be so introspective.

Les

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Saxo Boy, stop worrying about yourself all the time, I do it and I can see some traits I have, remember most of the stuff you worry about doesnt matter, if your car breaks, fix it or throw it away, people have to put up with some serious **** and on the scale of things a car breaking is not very important, inconvenient, expensive yes but important, nah f*ck it. Playing poker makes you money, hmm, you just said you were 4.5 k down, if you are putting money on cards or loans (not saying you are) to finance your poker playing you need to seek help. Its funny how gamblers always claim to make money, like the guy at work who claimed to always be up after his marathon fruit machine sessions even though he was cadging money off mates, basically if you cant afford to lose it dont gamble it.

You wear your heart on your sleeve (like me), not a good sign for a poker player !

LG John

Cheers for the kind words Jacko but fear not I'm not a gambler - I'm a poker player and there is a very big difference that can't be explained to those that don't know poker inside and out. Getting me to bet a fiver on a horse or football match or casino game is near impossible but I'll happily stake hundreds on a single hand of poker. Simply cause in poker I wait until I'm in a situation where the odds are in my favour. Just like a casino with all its games.

The loan is from my scooby days and I used the money I got from selling it to buy the pug and a computer. When I say I'm £4.5k up from the last 6 months of poker that is the actual figure. That is what I am left with after all the money gained and lost. I put £200 in my online account in september and that is now £3k. I've never had to put any more in. I've also made £1500 pure profit at the casino.

Please don't worry about me being a gambler or having money problems. I'm not and I don't - poker does and will make me money

eClaire

But you have to admit it does play a large part in your life. We have exchanged emails at work and you have said things aren't too good after I asked you how things were. I ask why and you tell me what happened with last nights poker and how much work sucks. Now, because I know you so well I don't think that much of it, but if you were to meet someone for the first time and they ask how you are, what do you tell them? To someone who doesn't know you it may look like an unhealthy interest/obsession.

As for work, you need to get that sorted - a new job or maybe even a total career change, but something that isn't poker for the time being!

imlach

Sb, what are your long term life-goals? Have you a strong desire to acheive anything in life? Is financial success the only priority? Do you feel a desire to travel or experience something new & completely different? Is your interest in Poker driven by potential financial gain, or just because you like the game? Will playing a game of cards be enough to keep you motivated for 30+ years?

You're young, and free of commitment AFAIK. At what other point in your future life can you guarantee that other than now? Now is perhaps the time to make these choices....they're easier at 26 rather than 40!

^OPM^

been reading this thread with interest as i reckon i also dont have a positive outlook on life-yet when i look at what i have im very lucky-guess its cos i want to retire as early as possible i need to make as much money as soon as possible-i have no intention of dying at work like my dad did you see so i would like to retire at 40 so to prevent that happening-Saxo boy-can you teach me how to play poker?

oh one thing i can deduce from thread is saxo boy-you have a good load of friends that care for you deeply as mates-cherish that-its something i have never known-its something that is priceless-with friends like that you're glass is eternally half full at worst!

Clarebabes

Go to the gym, work out, feel good, drink beer, have sex.

Uplifting

unclebuck

take drugs, ecstacy, dance.....

Chip Sengravy

jerk off, scoobynet, beer

Clarebabes

Is that what you do? Eurgh, sticky keyboard....

Turbohot

The way we feel about ourselves is a result of not only our own thinking,but also what we have faced.There are some very good books regarding feeling positive but self-analysis is another technique.Threre could be many sleeping experiences on our subconscious mind that we arent aware of.They often cause the negative feeling.There could be recent failures causing so.But whats to be remembered is that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and the tunnel aint so long at all!
The other thing is- identifying problems that are causing this negativity.Then resolve them.Professional one-to-one councelling proves to be very good way.Talking to someone professional will definitely help before you think of any kinda drug intake.

LG John

Not sure what my long term goals are. I'd like to settle down with my girlfriend one day, get married, have a family, share life. I'd also like to have enough money to enjoy holidays, sporty cars a nice home, etc. Beyond that I'm not a massively ambitous guy so I don't really have big plans like taking on mountains or walking to the north pole.

I have actually been feeling far more uplifted since reading the responses in this thread. I'm currently up in Aberdeen and just as I got here the peugeot trasmission started to make all sorts of noises. Its unlikely it'll make it back to Edinburgh. Usually I'd be panicing all weekend, thinking that I'll not be able to get to work next week, that I'll never have the money to get a nice new car (read, fast car), etc. But, I'm not. Just taking it as it comes. I've joined the AA and checked all the angles to ensure the cover will be in place when I drive back down. If it goes it goes and if I have to figure a way to stay mobile until I can get a new car or fix this one then I will. Its hardly the end of the world

Also been feeling a little more positive about poker and it been going not too bad of late. Certainly could have been better, the two recent large pots I got involved in I was (in each case) a 10:1 favourite with one card to come and lost them both (each pot = £200). But I kept plugging away and turned what was a horrific losing night into a break even and having lost both those pots that was itself a minor mirical.

Chip Sengravy

it was late, I was tired

custard puddle

sod the glass, drink out the bottle!!!

Vegescoob

[QUOTE=custard puddle]sod the glass, drink out the bottle!!! [/QUOTE ]

Aah, the certainty of youth.

juan

Saxo,

Ignore the donkey who says you'll only be disappointed. Find out for yourself rather than listen to another pessimist

Part of the book tells you how to model yourself to gain the characteristics that you want. Find folk who are successful at things you want to be successful at. Learn to approach these things as the success stories do, learn to think like them etc. ie you can change your personality somewhat to become more like you would like to be (be that successful in your job, a better poker player or whatever)

Thing is you will only get out of it what you put into it.

If you go in thinking load of **** - can't be bothered then it ain;t gonna work. But it's pretty straightforward really.

You just need to put some effort into it, and with what some folk have said about your personality it sounds like if you have a go at something then you do have a go at it.

You might be surprised.
Not much to lose really, cept a few hours bedtime reading

zoomzoom

put down cards, put on shoes, run.... ummm... run somemore

LG John

This thread has been a great help Desipte this nightmare this morning I remain positive optomistic about life. Has it just cost me £2k.....yes. Will it leave me carless for a few weeks.......yes. Will it be a sh!tload of hassel....yes. But, I'll eat tonight, have a roof over my head, will get a new car (also better one) soon enough and I've got my health. All in all I feel ok