All of these tips are going to be based around the key ingredient needed for a healthy lifestyle and success in many things not just poker… discipline, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some tips on how not to fall off.

Don’t have excessive confidence

You are going to need confidence, but then having too much of this in poker is a dangerous thing. You will find yourself stretching your bankroll to put yourself in spots you think you can win in, that could easily crush you.

You will want to specialise in an area that you do well in and just stay there and make money, so many players are successful in a particular game type in poker but then win some money and try a different variation of poker out. Stick to what you know and grind it out.

Be Consistent

I’ve personally had big scores and then just taken my foot off the gas a little, took some time out and not clocked in, if you want to play poker as a job, to earn your money, you need to clock in as you would with a normal job, you can’t just take some last-minute holiday because you feel like it.

There are going to be too many hard times ahead with variance in this game that we love, so when the good times are here we have to make the most out of it and really put in some grind time, look to take your breaks when you are on a downswing to reflect on your game.

Study!

We need to have a blend of playing and studying but so many poker players will just not put in the time to study spots they are showing leaks in.

Try and have a studying routine, so let’s say Tuesdays, before you play, 2 hours studying and then Friday when you finish your early grind, review some hands before you have the evening off.

Practice Financial Discipline

The fall of many great poker players, even people as good as the game as the late Stu Ungar is a lack of financial discipline. Some people get a little money and blow it all on living fast and expensive items. You will need your bankroll as a poker player for opportunities that lie ahead, good spots to pick up even more money and so on.

Try and set a rule for yourself that you can withdraw say 10% of your bankroll when you have a nice win. If you like to treat yourself and not just grind it out, look to apply some discipline to your bankroll and you will be much better off when you can play much bigger games in the future with the chance to win huge sums.

Have Integrity

This is the most important part of being a gambler, without integrity your words mean nothing. There are plenty of ways for poker players that are going through hard times to get backing for action, but you need to always honour your commitments and make good your promises.

Without that then no one will ever trust you, if you go south on one person in the poker world, news travels fast and you will not get a second chance. If you need financial help, then ask, be honest with your situation and work even harder on your game to make your come back story a great one.