Well, I just had a bit of an idea that I thought might be somewhat consoling during the horrible cycles:

Basically, it's the same as it is in everyday life. Usually, there are just times when absolutely everything goes wrong. One day, your girlfriend leaves you, the next you lose your job, then you go and get drunk only to get thrown in jail and a DUI. When you get out, you find a letter from the IRS explaining why you owe $10,000 in back taxes... You might find some consolation in your only real friend, namely your dog, but he gets run over by a car.

Similarly when everything goes right.

So, basically, in poker, as in life in general, you'll do ok if you somehow get over all the b.s. and deal with it, realizing someday everything will get back into shape--and, if it's that bad now, eventually they'll say that a rich uncle just left you half a million and you'll start getting love letters from Shania Twain, who wants to hook up a.s.a.p.!

Somehow I suspect hooking up Shania Twain will cause more problems than you had when you were dragging your dead dog out of the road.

I think realizing poker is gambling, and treating at as such, especially when things are going very badly, is the first step to playing correctly.

yup...if there's one thing i've learned through playing poker professionally...is that poker is gambling. skill is a factor of course....but it all comes down to probabilty.

it all comes down to mental discipline and stability. Its gambling, we should all know that but if you can't take the swings (i'm still finding out if I can), then its not for you, at least not at the professional level. However, the swings in poker are much faster than those in life. Sure you can have one of those days where your emotions are up and down but in poker, that can pretty much happen on a daily basis. So many times i've felt on top of the world one day and then like shit the next which can mess with my emotions for the whole week.

The last week has been hell in poker for me.
2-3--5 outers all week long and finisheing just outside the money in big MTT's. It is getting to me but I also know that I will climb back on top because my stats say so.

I had 3 weeks of good fortune where everything went my way. I cashed a big amount and done some great things with it. But boy did I wish I still had that now because it is not long before I have to move down a level and I really hate that.

On the other side my life outside poker could not be better I got a great kid and a beautiful ( kranky ) pregnant wife. I got a great job and everyhthing is going my way.
So why am I so bloody miserable that they all are drawing out on me. It really affects my daily life. Although it has gotten better over the years I still have trouble with it.

So what if my pokerresults where enormus and My daughter or wife would be sick. Who will give a fock about poker then.

Life is good enjoy the good moments.

Tommyhawk.

With pros like Phil and Negreanu I think it's all an act, they're professionals and have learned to keep their cool inside. Even if Phil mumbles "this guy is so lucky" every hand,
I don't think he tilts too often and makes irrational decisions.

I remember a show on ESPN where they were taking Negreanu's pulse, he was running some bluffs cool as a cucumber, his pulse wasn't even moving. Some amateurs at the final table had their pulse double on every tough hand they were playing.