If you are reading this, you have probably played poker ‘a bunch’ and are quite enjoying it. But do you want to play poker 5-6 times a week for the rest of your life? It may seem like poker is the only thing you want to do right now, but in a few years’ time you may think otherwise!
Also take into account the variance involved. It is possible that you may have been running above expectation. In poker, downswings are inevitable and you have to be able to handle it. Downswings can be very tough and cruel. Be prepared for them, because no matter how good you are, it will happen to you.
You need to be completely immersed in Poker and know about pretty much everything related to poker. You need to have that urge to play poker every single day if you want to become a professional poker player.
When you turn pro, you need to keep improving constantly. Most professional poker players keep on improving after they have turned pro. You need to constantly put in the hours and keep studying the game.
Generally, poker and social life do not go hand in hand. But if you can find the right balance between poker and life then that is a bonus. You need to ask yourself how you will be viewed by your family, friends and the community in which you live in. Ignore this last advice if you don’t care about what others think of you!
Forget about what you see on TV. Life of the average professional poker player is not quite like the poker players that you see on the World Poker Tour or the World Series of Poker. Prepare for a long grind.
Just imagine the professions like actors and footballers (soccer). At the very top, there are big rewards and they are mostly overpaid. But for the majority, it is a grind!
Also besides variance, there are also other factors that you have absolutely no control in poker. Do you think poker is going to be legal in your country forever? Look at the U.S. and Black Friday as an example. And finally, are poker games in your area or online going to continue to be as good as they are?