Originally posted on 06/24/2021:

I don't go on Tilt exactly because I've been doing this for so long, but I think about some of the dumbass things I've done. I won a poker tournament on Pacific Poker back in 2004 for $6600. I quickly ran it up to $10,500 and I was playing $25/$50 limit Hold'em and other shit I can't afford and lost back down to $3500. I was in the Air Force at the time, and hell I only was only making $35k a year. $7000 was a ton of money then and its a ton of money to me now! I'm a working man!

Bottom line to me is to know yourself when it comes to gambling or life in general. Are you bored and need action? Are you lonely or disappointed with your life? Do you have some kind of unresolved issues and go to gambling as your pain killer? Is it just a hobby that you enjoy occasionally that you can control? Are you really & truly gambling for profit with the unemotional discipline of a businessman?

Very few are really gambling for profit alone. Gamblers aren't wired that way. Those people aren't vegging out on a stool, in front of a slot machine for 6 hours straight every week because they have a great home life.

The key for avoiding tilt to me is attempting to live a full life. If gambling is your only focus and you're losing at that, then where does your self-worth come from? Gamblers, including myself, are generally insecure and immature people anyway so tilting can happen quickly. Gamblers and patience are fire & ice. They don't go well together.

Its such a selfish and narcissistic pursuit also. You have to avoid family or employers, etc. to find time to do it. It doesn't add anything to society or produce anything valuable. Now if you just bet $50 on a NBA finals game like people have a beer at night then you're just a recreational bettor and nothing wrong with that. But if you've dreamed of gambling for a living or you're addicted then you still need to live a fuller life. Build something for yourself that you don't want to lose! Otherwise gambling will control you.