One of the main differences between world-class poker players and those at lower stakes is their ability to stay focused through the inevitable swings. Top players remain calm, focused and grounded during challenging times.
Whereas lower stakes players ride the emotional waves of their up and downswings.
They often live session to session, relying on results to fuel their confidence. While this works when winning, everything changes when the downswing hits. You start to question basic poker abilities and your future in poker, leading to lots of self-doubt and uncertainty.
So how do these world-class poker players stay focused during difficult times? The difference between them and mediocre players is that they have a clear vision for their poker career. This gives them direction and a purpose to stay motivated and helps them look past the temporary setbacks and keeps them on track.
What is a vision?
A vision is more than just a dream or hope. It’s a clear, inspiring, and motivating picture of your future self. It acts as a compass, guiding you not only toward long-term goals like success over the next five or ten years but also in your day-to-day decisions at the poker table. Because it will show you a path which will tell you what you need to do today or tomorrow to get tiny bit closer to your future reality.
Having a clear vision helps make the tough days more bearable because you know exactly why you’re grinding. Even when you’re losing, your vision reminds you that you’re working toward something bigger, and that gives your actions meaning.
Difference between world class and mediocre
In our experience as mindset coaches for poker players there is one thing that keeps coming back. When you ask good poker players about their vision, straight off the bat they’ll tell you why they’re grinding and how they see their future.
Ask mediocre poker players on the other hand, they won’t have a clue what tomorrow looks like. They are driven by short-term results, and this creates a fragile foundation for when things don’t go their way.
Without a vision, downswings can feel overwhelming. You begin to question everything: your skills, basic preflop strategy, and even your choice to pursue poker. But having a vision gives you something to fall back on, a compass to guide you. It’s a reminder that the struggles are temporary, and there’s a bigger goal in sight.
Creating your poker vision
Now that you understand what a vision is and why it’s important, the next step is to create one for yourself. Here are three steps to get started.
1. What excites you about poker?
Ask yourself: What do I love most about poker? Is it the puzzle-solving aspect, the competition, beating others, or winning prizes? Understanding what excites you about the game will help you lay a foundation to shape a vision that aligns with your motivations. This clarity will keep you going even when the grind gets tough.
2. What will you do once you achieve financial freedom?
Imagine you’ve already earned all the money you’ll ever need. What does your life look like then? Will you become a caretaker for your family, start coaching others, or maybe open a retreat in Southeast Asia?
Thinking about what you want to do once you’ve achieved financial freedom will help you connect your current efforts to a deeper purpose.
3. Visualize and anchor your vision
Once you’ve written down your vision, make sure it’s visible in your daily life. Hang it on your bathroom mirror or place it near your computer in your office where you’ll see it every day. This constant reminder of your goals will keep you focused and motivated, even on difficult days. Seeing your vision regularly will help reinforce your commitment to reaching it.
Time to build the path
Great, now that we know where we are heading towards, you can start building your path towards it. Let’s say you created a vision for the next 5 years, it is time to think about what that means for the next 3 years, and next year, and in 6 months, 3 months… etc. Slowly and steadily you can start working with clear and concrete goals that will give you tasks to finish each day!
Summary: your poker vision is your compass
Having a vision is essential for every serious poker player. It’s a clear, motivating picture of your future that helps you stay grounded during downswings and focused on long-term success. Without a vision, tough times can leave you feeling lost. But with a clear goal in mind, you can approach every poker session with confidence, determination and your sight set on the future.
Ask yourself: What drives me? and What’s my goal once I’ve achieved financial freedom? Write down your vision, visualize it daily, and use it as your guide in your career.
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