Recently, I was tracking my play across several poker sites, and there was one problem that I was consistently noticing. The problem was simply that I would look at all of my statistics, my winnings, ROI, etc., but I had no basis for determining whether or not I was "succeeding." This made me realize that I was missing something important, which was affecting my poker game. I was not setting goals! <READMORE>

You might wonder why on earth goals would be this important? The answer to this question is very simple and also quite obvious. You can achieve more playing poker if you know what it is you want to get out of it.

Before,I go into depth on what factors must be considered when plotting out and setting goals, I want to let you all know a little bit about me. I have been playing poker online for about 2 years now, and I enjoy poker as a hobby only. I go to school and have a job on the side, and I play low limit stakes on PokerStars and many other sites. I have been a member of PocketFives for a numerous months now, and I try to learn more and more about the game every day. What I've learned here over those months has motivated me to post my own article and help others out with their game, just as they helped me with mine.

Before setting goals, I was just a winning player. I was grinding it out on the tables night in and night out, but I had nothing to strive for. I lacked the motivation needed to keep my poker spirits in tact and soaring.

One day I was reading the archives on numerous sites (including P5s), and I realized that goal setting is crucial to becoming a winning player. I read what many people had posted about this issue, and I came to the conclusion that the articles which had 10-20 factors to consider when making goals could simply be summarized in three. After taking into consideration all of these factors, I set out a goal to make a certain amount of money in three months time, which would set me up with enough to grind out a bankroll. As it turned out, I achieved my goal before the time I had set, and I was extremely happy.

I have continued to set more goals to challenge my game and to always give me a source of motivation. Basically, any time I set goals, I consider these three factors:

1. Setting your goals should be something achievable and not out of your league.

When setting goals, always make sure that the goal you are striving for is something that is within your bankroll and will not cause stress to you or your poker game. For instance, a player with a bankroll of merely $500 should not be setting goals of making $15,000 in 1 month. The goals should not be forcing you to play out of your bankroll, and instead they should be achievable by maintaining the current stakes you are playing.

2. Goals should be set for a suitable time frame.

The goals you choose should be set to be achieved in a time frame that is suitable for your lifestyle. For instance, if you have a job, you should not be setting goals to make a certain amount in a month that would involve you neglecting your job. In my opinion, there are two types of time frames for goals:

Short term - These are goals that are set to be accomplished within 1-3 months. Often these goals will be relatively small (i.e. I'd like to make enough extra money to buy a new hot tub for my home), since the time frame is relatively short.

Long term - These are goals that are for a time period of up to 1 year. Obviously, these goals will often be significantly loftier than short term goals, since there is more time to achieve them.

3. Reward yourself when you achieve your goal.

When you meet your quota or otherwise achieve your goal, reward yourself for your accomplishment and also for sticking within your bankroll to do it. This may involve cashing out a certain amount and buying something you've wanted, or it may involve taking out the family to dinner---just anything that can be enjoyed by you and those around you. This will help you to always stay motivatedand, and to strive for more goals to achieve. Ultimately, it will make your poker game better.

While none of the above are necessarily new ideas, they are important ideas to be summarized and rehashed for poker players that fall out of the proper motivation to be successful. Without goals, that motivation can certainly be lacking, so simply get out there, figure out what you want to do, and make it happen!
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