Grinding at the poker tables – whether live or online – requires plenty of dedication and commitment. To become a truly successful poker player, you have to practice your crafts for hours on end, week after week, without losing focus.
Sounds hard? Only if you don't have something to motivate you. Motivation is a big part of becoming a devoted Everygame poker player, as this is what can give you the energy and willingness to trudge through the difficult times until you manage to turn a profit from placing bets.
What can motivate poker players? How do you find that inner strength to practice and play poker even when things don't go your way? Let's take a look at what motivation looks like at the poker tables.
Different Types of Motivation Sources
In science, motivation is defined as internal and external forces that drive an organism to act and achieve goals. That means that some people experience intrinsic motivation, doing things solely because they make them feel good. Wanting to enjoy yourself as you play poker, feeling satisfied with your progress, and even being curious about what's up to come – wishing to experience all those things can be motivating enough for some people.
Other people are more prone to react to extrinsic motivators, which basically means you either get rewarded for something you do well, or you manage to avoid punishment from outside sources. While many people view extrinsic motivators as highly powerful driving powers, those motivators can get things done – but that doesn't necessarily mean you will enjoy the process.
Extrinsic motivation can include various reward systems, like all the promotions and bonuses available on online poker platforms, which add more value to your gaming experience. Those motivators are supremely powerful, as everyone desires to win some extra cash whenever possible, no matter how long you've been playing this game!
Affiliation motivation, or the social aspect of poker, can also be considered an extrinsic motivator since being surrounded by fellow players who encourage you to succeed can do wonders for your dedication to the game and the community.
But when it comes to the negative aspect of extrinsic motivation, wanting to avoid harm is logical and somewhat intuitive, and you probably don't even pay attention to this type of motivator. As you play poker for real money, of course you would want to avoid losing, and managing your bankroll will give you a chance to prevent grand losses, thus turning you into a more careful and serious poker player.
Find What Makes YOU Play Poker Better
Every person reacts differently to different motivators. If you want to take poker more seriously and are ready to put in the work needed to become a great poker pro, you first need to find what gives YOU enough motivation to stick with your decision.
You can use poker promotions to feel like you're making the most of your experience, join a poker club to connect with others over your shared love of the game, and find the type of game and platform that simply make you happy! That way, you will be able to enjoy every step of the process of becoming a poker pro, instead of just enduring your experience. Are you ready to start your marvelous poker journey?