The Mental Game Podcast

My guest today on The Mental Game Podcast is a much needed voice for anyone who is struggling to find meaning and purpose in their life. Mark Manson is a a very successful author, blogger, self-development coach and dating expert. On the surface it appears he has his shit together, but as he says he starts everything he does as a form of 'public therapy' with himself, but with the reader in mind. His new book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck is actually about finding out what your values are, what you give a fuck about. We had a really good discussion about how young people today in many ways have it better than ever, but are missing a clearly defined sense of meaning. So the onus of responsibility is on us to create our own.

My guest today on The Mental Game of Poker Podcast is Jeremy Ausmus. Jeremy first came to our attention in 2012 when he made the October Nine and came in 5th for over $2 million. He since had a number of near misses in high profile events but finally took down his first bracelet last month in Paris at the WSOPE. Jeremy has been a professional for nine years, and he is just about one of the most balanced and professional players you are likely to encounter. He really is the blueprint for having a solid mental game. In the show we discuss: • Why a slow and steady approach to learning has proven to be very successful in the long term for him. • Why he is always reanalyzing his game and never wants to think he ‘knows it all’. • How he values a strong mental game, and why he would always take a player with a solid C-game over a player who has an amazing A-game but prone to mental game leaks. • How he works on his game away from the table and why not wanting to get caught out in tricky spots motivates him to learn. • The mental adjustments he makes when switching between tournaments and cash games. • How he dealt with the pressure of the Main Event final table. Just a quick reminder, you can now get The Mental Game of Poker 1 and 2 for free either on audiobook or using PokerStars Frequent Player Points. Go to Jaredtendlerpoker.com for more information. Also keep an eye out for a one-time-only sale from November 29th - December 1st on the softcover versions of both books. Get both books for the price of one.

My guest today on the Mental Game Podcast is a long-time client who has been phenomenal to work with because, besides being an all-around great guy, he is deeply committed to the process of mastering his craft. Niels Feijen is a professional pool player from the Netherlands. He is one of the top players in the world and his accolades include the 2008 World Straight Pool Championship, the 2014 World Nine Ball Championship and the four-time MVP for the Mosconi Cup. Pool strikes me as a game much like golf was decades ago - a physical sport that requires a lot of mental ability and yet, as Niels explains, very few professionals actually work hard on their mental game. Not only is Niels dedicated to constantly improving mentally, he works incredibly hard on every aspect of the game. And that's why he is among the best in the world.

I got a great response to my last Q&A podcast on Goal Setting, so I have done another one all about Tilt. If you want to be featured on a future Q&A podcast, just contact me with your question. Today Barry and I discuss a wide range of topics I’m sure all of you can relate to, even if you are not a poker player. In this episode we discuss: * Why you might Tilt in one format (Like PLO), but not another (Like No Limit) * The differences between Tilt in poker and trading * Is Tilt different online compared to live? * Why Winner’s Tilt is more of a confidence issue than an anger issue * Dealing with pressure at the tables that appears as anger

With the Olympics now over I have a very fitting guest on The Mental Game Podcast, not just because he is Brazilian but also because he is arguably one of the few professional poker players whose experience of the game mirrors that of elite athletes. Andre Akkari is a Team PokerStars Pro and WSOP Bracelet winner. He is also a megastar in his homeland of Brazil. While he is not as well known as, say, Daniel Negreanu outside of Brazil he is incredibly famous within it. How many other poker players, for example, would be asked to carry the Olympic Torch? Andre has a following and a pressure that comes with it that most poker players don't understand, which made for a great interview.