Know Thyself

"Examining why you play poker could be the official start of a broader self-examination of all your motivations. Psychological self-examination of any kind will not be easy. The payoff is that efforts aimed at self-understanding will always improve the quality of your life.

At a minimum, examining specifically why you play poker will help you begin to understand yourself. This is an essential first step in understanding others. Understanding yourself and others can only help improve your overall poker results."...Dan Mezick, Primate Poker essays.

Why do I play poker? Competition? Money? Ego? Mental gymnastics? Social life? Perhaps it's a combination of these qualities. As a phiosopher once wrote (Emerson, I think) "An un-examined life isn't worth living." As I examine my poker play, I become more conscious of behaviors that motivate me and help me understand why I do what I do. Poker seems like a microcosm of life. Games are filled with fear, disappointments, exhilarations, losses, victories, mood swings, sportmanship, rude behaviors, and the gamut of other emotions found in humankind. While playing poker, one is constantly making snap decisions that determine success or failure. As I continue along the path of self examination, I realize that not only does my poker improve, but my relationships with others are more satisfying. Ask yourselves why you play this wonderful game called poker and perhaps it will help you "Know thyself" a little better.

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