Before I started playing poker for a living, I guess I sort of envisioned the "job" as all fun and games. It's far from that. Don't get me wrong, poker is a fun game whether you're playing for a living or a hobby. But it's a TOUGH gig. There are so many ups and downs. As much as I wish it was easy to not get excited when I win a big pot or angry when I lose a big pot, neither are true. It's human nature to be enthusiastic after winning large sums of money and upset when losing large sums of money.
However, every successful professional poker player will tell you that you have to do as good of a job of fighting off those emotions. Like I said, there are tons of ups and downs. If you get too down after a rough session it will effect your game the next time out. If you get too excited when you win, it will make the losing sessions difficult to withstand emotionally.
So how do you find some balance? This starts away from the table. You should NEVER attempt to play professionally until you have a sizable bankroll. If you have very little money in the bank, the losses are going to sting more than if you have enough money to withstand bad runs of cards. And the wins won't feel as awesome if you have money. Let's say you have $50k in the bank and some random guy hands you a $10 bill. Big deal, right? Now let's say you're homeless and starving and that same guy hands you a $10 bill. You'd probably feel like you just hit the jackpot. Wins and losses feel less amazing or frustrating when you have the proper bankroll.
You should also lead a healthy lifestyle. That means get plenty of exercise and eat healthy. You'll feel better about yourself. Don't play poker when you're feeling down. You shouldn't show up for a game of poker hoping for a big win to help get your mind off the chick that just dumped you. Playing winning poker starts away from the table.
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