‘WizardOfAhhs’: doorzettingsvermogen van een grinder

Kevin ‘WizardOfAhhs’ Thurman is een team Pokerstars pro. Op het Pokerstars blog vertelt hij over het doorzettingsvermogen wat van hem een van de meest succesvolle online spelers maakte. Thurman is de recordhouder met betrekking tot het hoogte aantal VPP’s dat iemand in één jaar verzamelde en is gespecialiseerd in het 24-tafelen van 6-max cashgames.

Het maximum aantal cashgametafels dat je tegelijkertijd kunt spelen op Pokerstars is 24. De meeste pokerspelers zijn zich hier niet van bewust, omdat het voor hen simpelweg niet bij te houden is om zoveel tafels tegelijkertijd te spelen. Voor Kevin ‘WizardOfAhhs’ Thurman is dit echter zijn dagelijkse realiteit.

De 32-jarige pokerspeler speelde de afgelopen drie jaar ruim zes miljoen handen op Pokerstars. In 2010 behaalde hij meer dan 3 miljoen VPP’s. Volgens zijn team Pokerstars profiel won hij miljoenen online. Thurman bereikte dat alles terwijl hij lijdt aan de ziekte van lyme, een zware infectieziekte die meerdere serieuze gevolgen heeft voor zijn gezondheid. Tijdens het behalen van het recordaantal VPP’s onderging Thurman chemotherapie.

Met het doorzettingsvermogen van Thurman zit het dus wel snor. Op Pokerstars blog vertelt Thurman over de dingen die hem motiveren. “I don’t know if drive is an inherent or learned behaviour, perhaps it’s a bit of both. Either way, I will share with you some advice that helped me remain focused on the task at hand, and maybe it will help you with your own endeavours.

When you’re pushing your limitations, don’t stray far from your objective at any given time. What I mean is you must immerse yourself if you want to reach new heights. It’s okay to take breaks, matter of fact I encourage it, as sedentary life can and will result in the deterioration of your health. However, when you take your breaks make good use of your time. Don’t procrastinate on your return, start other projects, or veg out in front of the television. If you want to achieve great things, push your limits, and break records you’re going to have to remain focused all the time.

You can retain a high level of focus by continually surrounding yourself with whatever helps you derive your inspiration and motivation. When grinding for the VPP record I came up with some different methods to help me stay on point. One of which I simply call the ‘Desktop Folder for Motivation.’

I am motivated by the desire for the ‘perfect’ life that I have envisioned for myself, from the physical environment, to the people surrounding me. I envision a world where I have good health and can continue to remain free from economic strain. But to keep these thoughts in my head on a daily basis is easier said than done, so I had to get creative.

I put a folder on my desktop. I fill it with pictures that represent everything that I want out of life and with the people I love. I open it at the start of every day and it reminds me exactly why I push myself. It is a vivid visualization of my success and I have easy access to it any time I feel myself straying from my objective.

Another motivator is fear, something we’re all quite familiar with. We have no idea what the future will hold. And the thought of an unpredictable future, though exciting at times, can be quite a frightful realization. There is no way to know how much longer you have to achieve your goals in life. I know it’s a bit cliche, but there is seriously no better time to seize the day. The worst thing a man can do is look back on his life with regret. Regretting missed opportunities is a terrible thing.

And finally, forgetting the past can help you drive toward your future goal. Unlike my other motivational techniques, this one isn’t about getting you motivated to get started. It’s about finishing strong.

One of the ways I battle burnout is by forgetting the past. It is merely a state of mind. You are just perceiving yourself to be burnt out because you are aware of and focusing on how much poker you have played over a duration of time. So, to counteract this you need to put yourself in the same frame of mind you had when you first started your pursuit.

At the beginning of each month (sometimes each week), I psych myself out and pretend I’m approaching my grind for the first time after a long vacation. I remove all thoughts of what I’ve endured over the duration of the year. Also, what helps is to set new weekly or monthly goals. Breaking your challenge up into smaller pieces is quite helpful when you’re trying to accomplish a monumental goal.

I wish all of you the best in your pursuits, not only in poker, but in life. And I hope I was able to aid you in some way. Even if just one piece of advice in this blog makes a difference in your life, then it was time well spent by both of us.