20 Rules
So I've decided to work on my poker attitudes, starting with these 20 questions. My aim is to go from 8 "yes" to 20 "no". With that in mind, I've transformed the 20 questions into the following 20 rules:
1. Poker may not replace work time. eg. No stretching lunch-hours for one more hand.
2. Poker will not make my home life unhappy. In other words, I will not let a bad session affect my mood after I quit.
3. Poker will not affect my reputation. I will not be known as an "addict".
4. I will not feel remorse for playing poker. This is because I never do it for the wrong reasons, eg. to cure a bad mood, or for revenge against something external.
5. I will never play poker to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties.
6. Playing poker will not cause a decrease in my ambition or efficiency.
7. After losing, I will not feel I must return as soon as possible and win back my losses. Every hand will be a new day.
8. After a win, I will not have a strong urge to return and win more. Again, every hand is a new day.
9. I will not play until your last dollar is gone. My chips work for me more effectively when they are part of a large stack.
10. I will never borrow to finance my poker playing. Instead, if necessary, I will set aside part of my income. If it isn't there yet, I will have to suck it up and wait.
11. I will never sell anything to finance poker.
12. I will not be reluctant to use "poker money" for normal expenditures. My poker money is purely disposable income.
13. Poker will not make me careless of the welfare of myself or my family. This includes sleep.
14. I will not play poker for longer than planned. This means that when I set a limit (time or win/lose limit), I must stick with it.
15. I will not play poker to escape worry or trouble. It is not likely to work anyway.
16. I will never commit, nor consider committing, an illegal act to finance poker.
17. Playing poker will not cause me to have difficulty in sleeping. This is because I will set time limits for going to bed, and will play properly so that I go to bed with a clear conscience.
18. Arguments, disappointments or frustrations will not create within me an urge to play poker.
19. I will never have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of poker. There are better ways to celebrate the goodness.
20. I will never consider self destruction or suicide as a result of poker.
I feel therapy'd. :)
1. Poker may not replace work time. eg. No stretching lunch-hours for one more hand.
2. Poker will not make my home life unhappy. In other words, I will not let a bad session affect my mood after I quit.
3. Poker will not affect my reputation. I will not be known as an "addict".
4. I will not feel remorse for playing poker. This is because I never do it for the wrong reasons, eg. to cure a bad mood, or for revenge against something external.
5. I will never play poker to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties.
6. Playing poker will not cause a decrease in my ambition or efficiency.
7. After losing, I will not feel I must return as soon as possible and win back my losses. Every hand will be a new day.
8. After a win, I will not have a strong urge to return and win more. Again, every hand is a new day.
9. I will not play until your last dollar is gone. My chips work for me more effectively when they are part of a large stack.
10. I will never borrow to finance my poker playing. Instead, if necessary, I will set aside part of my income. If it isn't there yet, I will have to suck it up and wait.
11. I will never sell anything to finance poker.
12. I will not be reluctant to use "poker money" for normal expenditures. My poker money is purely disposable income.
13. Poker will not make me careless of the welfare of myself or my family. This includes sleep.
14. I will not play poker for longer than planned. This means that when I set a limit (time or win/lose limit), I must stick with it.
15. I will not play poker to escape worry or trouble. It is not likely to work anyway.
16. I will never commit, nor consider committing, an illegal act to finance poker.
17. Playing poker will not cause me to have difficulty in sleeping. This is because I will set time limits for going to bed, and will play properly so that I go to bed with a clear conscience.
18. Arguments, disappointments or frustrations will not create within me an urge to play poker.
19. I will never have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of poker. There are better ways to celebrate the goodness.
20. I will never consider self destruction or suicide as a result of poker.
I feel therapy'd. :)