In many ways, humans are just a blank slate ready and willing to be set into motion. Often times, I reflect on the books I’ve read, the people I’ve met, the thousands of tournaments I’ve played, as well as the many other experiences I’ve encountered throughout my life. Through it all, I’ve made a conscious effort to constantly improve, whether it’s my knowledge, network, poker game, or life.

Looking back, over the past couple of years, I’ve had to overcome many hardships, but have still progressed leaps and bounds over the vast majority of my competitors. I don’t attribute the success I’ve experienced to my nature or my nurture. Yes, I’m educated and have had a great upbringing, both which are important factors that have helped me advance and become successful. Instead, what has separated me from the pack and allowed me to succeed is my willingness to go the extra mile and work as hard as I possibly can. A wise-man once said, “Hard work makes life easy.” This is true, but you have to decide for yourself which path to take…are you an under-achiever or an over-achiever? Your parents and friends can’t decide this for you. Life is short, so it is crucial to step up to the plate and not be afraid; dig in and make the most out of your opportunities.

Another important factor in success is your mental perception and confidence. Perception is reality. Thoughts in your head will drastically affect how you view yourself and consequently how others view you. It’s a common misconception that playing online poker day-in and day-out makes you less socially competent. I’m of the belief that if you think you’re socially inept, there are underlying reasons that attribute to this feeling, most of which are completely unrelated to poker. If you were a social butterfly before you started playing poker, you shouldn’t have a problem going out and socializing successfully. More than likely these feelings of inadequacy and ineptness are more pronounced than you realize.

Just like any other field, you can always learn to improve your social skills. Obviously, if you never interact with others, you will lose mastery of skills you once possessed. I’ve personally been “thrown to the wolves” many times in social situations, whether in business or in dealing with the opposite sex where I was or felt inexperienced and apprehensive. As you gain experience, work hard, and stay positive, what once seemed impossible suddenly becomes commonplace. You are what you believe in; what better a person to believe in than yourself?

An impressive individual who exhibits many qualities necessary for success is Chuck Liddell. I had the opportunity to hang out with him while in Costa Rica. I was expecting a brutish guy, who was inexperienced in most aspects of life, other than fighting. What I encountered, at the time, greatly surprised me. Chuck was articulate, friendly, and educated in a manner that far exceeded my expectations. Chuck could have succeeded in many fields other than fighting and from a mental point of view; it is a major understatement to say that Chuck Liddell has the ability to be a world-class poker player. Combining attention to detail, thinking/acting decisively, preparing to the fullest extent, and committing yourself to your profession are just some of the factors that have gone into making him a champion. Especially after spending time with Chuck, I can see why he’s so well respected and one of the best fighters to ever live.

In Chuck Liddell's New York Times best-selling book Iceman, which translates well to the field of poker and life he says, “Being mentally tough is not a sometimes thing. You don’t turn it on and off. If you’re not mentally tough in the gym while you are training, then when you’re challenged in a fight, you will fold. It doesn’t mean you have to be balls-out every time you work out. But, when you are being pushed in training, you can’t just fold a couple of times because you feel that you’ve done enough that day. Before you know it, when you get in a fight and are tired and beat-up and in a bad position, you will give up, too. That was the point of the beatings. If you were going to fight, you’d better be prepared—for anything.”

Make the commitment today to better yourself going forward. When it comes to poker, you’re either progressing or you’re incrementally losing what you once possessed. Don’t let small hang-ups or fears stop you from becoming the person you know you can become. As co-owner and operator of Ari’s Training Center in Las Vegas I come in contact with a wide range of poker players. From beginner to advanced, tight weak to loose aggressive: one of the main things I have learned from my experience as an instructor is that the better a person is at life, in general, the better they will be at poker. The people who have healthy relationships treat others with respect, and who are positive and organized, seem to excel at poker in comparison to the average person/player.

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The Maven owns and operates a training center alongside former #1 ranked online poker pro Ari Engel in Las Vegas. Contact The Maven for details regarding intensive multi-table tournament training. He is also looking for one or two apprentices. You can contact The Maven by emailing trainwiththemaven@yahoo.com for more information.

Also Read: The Maven's PocketFives Blog

Recent Scores
(Ranked #89 Worldwide)

<table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td>$28,340.00 </td><td valign="bottom"></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td>$500 buy-in, $100K Guaranteed on AbsolutePoker. 02/01/2009, 1 place for 28,340.00 </td></tr></tbody></table> <table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="bottom"></td><td>$13,500.00 </td><td valign="bottom"></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td>$200 buy-in, $750,000 Guarantee on FullTiltPoker. 12/14/2008, 8 place for 13,500.00 </td></tr></tbody></table> <table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="bottom"></td><td>$10,857.00 </td><td valign="bottom"></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td>$109 buy-in, $109 NLHE [2X Chance - $50,000 guaranteed] on PokerStars. 10/20/2008, 1 place for 10,857.00 </td></tr></tbody></table> <table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left">See All Scores </td></tr></tbody></table> <span id="ctl00_ctl00_bcr_bcr_ctl25_plbScore">Current Sliding PLB Score: 5,336.27</span>
<span id="ctl00_ctl00_bcr_bcr_ctl25_plbPercentile">(99.6 8th percentile)
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