1. Becoming a truly professional poker player
By Elliot Roe

2. Why this topic?
The fastest way I have found to improve a players profitability at the table has been to help them understand (and accept) that poker is a professional sport. Only a tiny number of players understand that this and act accordingly. If you can live and play with this concept always in mind your profitability at the table will jump considerably.

3. Common Traits of the Best
I’ve worked with a number of the highest stakes players in the world and most share common traits.
Health/Diet/Exercise
Yoga/Meditation
Hours of study
Love/respect for the game

4. 5 Mistakes holding you back
There are 5 major mistakes I see full time players making time and time again:
Lack of organized schedule
Distractions at the table
Lack of exercise/diet considerations
Lack of or inefficient study
Drug use

5. Scheduling How is your week organized?
If you don’t work to a schedule what is stopping you?
It’s as important to schedule your time off as your time at the table
The accountability and effectiveness of your friends and family knowing and respecting your work schedule.

6. Cash Game Schedule

7. Cash Game Schedule Results
27.25 Hours at the table
6 days of exercise, one full rest day
Controlled sleeping schedule
10 hours of Study
True time away from poker

8. MTT Schedule

9. MTT Schedule Results Set MTT Schedule Rest days ensured
Sleep controlled
Exercise on 6 days 1 day of rest
10 Hours of study

10. Distractions at the table
Skype/Facebook/Twitter
Office environment?
Family disturbing you
Television/sporting events
Sports gambling (tilt risk)
Office environment visualisation

11. Exercise and Diet
Regular cardio, it provides a huge stamina advantage. Some top players believe this is their biggest edge at the tables.
Organized diet plan, ideally with meals pre prepared for MTT grinders
Limited alcohol use
Yoga

12. Study Rules 10 hours a week minimum
Weighted towards HH reviews and leak finding
Videos only count if notes are taken
Invest in coaching by better players if affordable
Not studying is like a professional athlete saying he doesn’t need to go to team practice.

13. Marijuana Use Many players claim it improves their play
Acts as a crutch suppressing emotions
Emotions should be worked through rather than hidden
You reach a FT would you rather your opponents were sober or high? Why are you different?

14. Goal Setting Goals have to be achievable No cash goals
Set volume and A game play targets
Journal your sessions
Daily leading to weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual targets

15. Journal Example

16. Understanding Procrastination
Typically seen in most parts of life rather than only at the table
Fear of success/failure
Typically found school very easy and took pride in not needing to work as hard as the other children
Habit built and label accepted
Poker seen as an opportunity to make easy money rather than opportunity to compete

17. Reality of poker Poker gets tougher every year
Software advances mean edge will need to be gained in these other areas. Be ahead of the curve!
These are not options but a reality of your profession
In most countries a player treating the game as a professional can expect to make the same or more than Dr’s Lawyers etc and we are likely only talking about a 15-25% effort increase

18. Investing in yourself Professional poker coaching,
Mindset coaching with myself or another specialist
Personal trainer
Personal chef (food delivery) this is used by many top players, it’s especially helpful if you grind MTTs and find yourself ordering pizza frequently.
House cleaner, gardener etc etc the less things you have to think about the more time you have to improve your poker.

19. Self evaluation How much of todays talk relates to you?
Where would you currently rate yourself from 1-10?
What changes are you making today?
What are the realistic goals you’re setting for your life and career

20. Contact
Elliot Roe
Pokermindcoach.com
Skype elliot.roe