(Ex?) Poker Player and a Shut-In

[Goracykubek]

Hi, so 28 y/o guy from Estonia, like most newbies I got inspired by TMF and now I'm here. Embarrassing post to make. At 28 I've done less with my life than most people at 18 and wasted my best decade doing and accomplishing nothing, but it shouldn't be too late to make some positive changes

Poker
High school dropout, been surviving the last 10 years playing online poker. Haven't been too successful because of my own lack of discipline, but done the bare minimum to get a dinghy one-bedroom and support myself. Over the last month I've gone harder at studying poker than ever before, but it has actually led me to realize it's probably not what I should be doing with my life. The games are steadily getting harder, and who knows how long online will remain viable with the rise in software-assisted cheating and AI starting to get scary good. And while I'm not working for anyone, I'm ultimately still following the roadmap of an employee trading time for money. If I have to spend my days doing something I dislike, it might as well be something where I at least feel a sense of hope for an eventual Fastlane potential. Also, doing something that isn't a zero-sum game might be good for the soul.

Shut-in
Basically an extreme basement-dwelling loser for the past decade. Don't take care of myself, don't leave my place except for groceries or to visit mom, don't interact with anyone. Shockingly that has led me to be completely stunted in my social development and extremely socially anxious. Sorry I know I'm not in a mental illness support forum, but thought I'd mention it to be honest about where I'm at. Basically where I deserve after a decade of video games and movies, honestly probably better off, doubt there's been any other time in history when someone like me wouldn't have been thrown to the dogs by now lol.

Future?
So I have no skills and I'm pretty stupid, but as I'm lucky to live at a time where infinite free education exists I should be able to improve on that. Don't really have a formulated plan. I know, that's bad, I'll try doing the 1/5/10 thing once I find at least a vague direction. But roughly speaking, feel I need to learn some basic skills before dreaming about entrepreneurship. Find some freelance work I can do online as my specialized skill that could potentially be supportive of an eventual Fastlane. Shamefully for the moment still lost and indecisive regarding what it should be. I do have runway money saved for over a year with my low-expenses lifestyle so I have some time, tho might keep playing a little poker to not see the numbers in the bank drop scary low.

I'm extremely grateful for all the kind people here who generously give their time to help others. Switched out browsing Reddit/Youtube over the past week to browsing this forum and really feels like my thinking has improved. Yes, too much consumption at this point, and it would likely be good to get to taking some actual action ASAP (as a certain super-friendly forum user has kindly informed me.) In my defense, I've at least taken action at cleaning up my diet, establishing a meal prep routine, and fixed my sleep schedule. Still working on the exercise part. Lucky to not have had any serious health problems yet, but not being the youngest anymore I really want to have taking care of my health and longevity as a number one priority from now on. Anyhow really happy to have found this place, apologies for not having anything to say about business for now, gonna try to not disappear after a few posts and keep updating this thread as I go.

 

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[Andreas Thiel]

Hi, so 28 y/o guy from Estonia, like most newbies I got inspired by TMF and now I'm here. Embarrassing post to make. At 28 I've done less with my life than most people at 18 and wasted my best decade doing and accomplishing nothing, but it shouldn't be too late to make some positive changes

Poker
High school dropout, been surviving the last 10 years playing online poker. Haven't been too successful because of my own lack of discipline, but done the bare minimum to get a dinghy one-bedroom and support myself. Over the last month I've gone harder at studying poker than ever before, but it has actually led me to realize it's probably not what I should be doing with my life. The games are steadily getting harder, and who knows how long online will remain viable with the rise in software-assisted cheating and AI starting to get scary good. And while I'm not working for anyone, I'm ultimately still following the roadmap of an employee trading time for money. If I have to spend my days doing something I dislike, it might as well be something where I at least feel a sense of hope for an eventual Fastlane potential. Also, doing something that isn't a zero-sum game might be good for the soul.

Shut-in
Basically an extreme basement-dwelling loser for the past decade. Don't take care of myself, don't leave my place except for groceries or to visit mom, don't interact with anyone. Shockingly that has led me to be completely stunted in my social development and extremely socially anxious. Sorry I know I'm not in a mental illness support forum, but thought I'd mention it to be honest about where I'm at. Basically where I deserve after a decade of video games and movies, honestly probably better off, doubt there's been any other time in history when someone like me wouldn't have been thrown to the dogs by now lol.

Future?
So I have no skills and I'm pretty stupid, but as I'm lucky to live at a time where infinite free education exists I should be able to improve on that. Don't really have a formulated plan. I know, that's bad, I'll try doing the 1/5/10 thing once I find at least a vague direction. But roughly speaking, feel I need to learn some basic skills before dreaming about entrepreneurship. Find some freelance work I can do online as my specialized skill that could potentially be supportive of an eventual Fastlane. Shamefully for the moment still lost and indecisive regarding what it should be. I do have runway money saved for over a year with my low-expenses lifestyle so I have some time, tho still on a scarcity mindset so might keep playing a little poker to not see the numbers in the bank drop scary low.

I'm extremely grateful for all the kind people here who generously give their time to help others. Switched out browsing Reddit/Youtube over the past week to browsing this forum and really feels like my thinking has improved. Yes, too much consumption at this point, and it would likely be good to get to taking some actual action ASAP (as a certain super-friendly forum user has kindly informed me.) In my defense, I've at least taken action at cleaning up my diet, establishing a meal prep routine, and fixed my sleep schedule. Still working on the exercise part. Lucky to not have had any serious health problems yet, but not being the youngest anymore I really want to have taking care of my health and longevity as a number one priority from now on. Anyhow really happy to have found this place, apologies for not having anything to say about business for now, gonna try to not disappear after a few posts and keep updating this thread as I go.

Tough spot to be in. I never figured out how to "get a life". You'll find advice like "start by saying hi to random people" and "smile at people when you do the groceries". From there it is all "draw the rest of the F*cking owl" advice, because most people are luckier and don't actually know the problem when they dream up solutions for you.

It seems getting into sales and acting has actually worked for quite a few people who had these issues. I spend 8h per day in my anti-social day job and must find time elsewhere to address the problem. After those 8h it is pretty much impossible for me to get anything else done. If you find a way to be social every day while making money, that is probably the most promising strategy.

Your current plan seems to be postponing the socializing while you work on a skill in isolation, or did I just assume that? Avoid that, if at all possible. Jump at any opportunity that presents itself if it could lead to some momentum in the socializing department.

 

[Andy Black]

Hi, so 28 y/o guy from Estonia, like most newbies I got inspired by TMF and now I'm here. Embarrassing post to make. At 28 I've done less with my life than most people at 18 and wasted my best decade doing and accomplishing nothing, but it shouldn't be too late to make some positive changes

Poker
High school dropout, been surviving the last 10 years playing online poker. Haven't been too successful because of my own lack of discipline, but done the bare minimum to get a dinghy one-bedroom and support myself. Over the last month I've gone harder at studying poker than ever before, but it has actually led me to realize it's probably not what I should be doing with my life. The games are steadily getting harder, and who knows how long online will remain viable with the rise in software-assisted cheating and AI starting to get scary good. And while I'm not working for anyone, I'm ultimately still following the roadmap of an employee trading time for money. If I have to spend my days doing something I dislike, it might as well be something where I at least feel a sense of hope for an eventual Fastlane potential. Also, doing something that isn't a zero-sum game might be good for the soul.

Shut-in
Basically an extreme basement-dwelling loser for the past decade. Don't take care of myself, don't leave my place except for groceries or to visit mom, don't interact with anyone. Shockingly that has led me to be completely stunted in my social development and extremely socially anxious. Sorry I know I'm not in a mental illness support forum, but thought I'd mention it to be honest about where I'm at. Basically where I deserve after a decade of video games and movies, honestly probably better off, doubt there's been any other time in history when someone like me wouldn't have been thrown to the dogs by now lol.

Future?
So I have no skills and I'm pretty stupid, but as I'm lucky to live at a time where infinite free education exists I should be able to improve on that. Don't really have a formulated plan. I know, that's bad, I'll try doing the 1/5/10 thing once I find at least a vague direction. But roughly speaking, feel I need to learn some basic skills before dreaming about entrepreneurship. Find some freelance work I can do online as my specialized skill that could potentially be supportive of an eventual Fastlane. Shamefully for the moment still lost and indecisive regarding what it should be. I do have runway money saved for over a year with my low-expenses lifestyle so I have some time, tho still on a scarcity mindset so might keep playing a little poker to not see the numbers in the bank drop scary low.

I'm extremely grateful for all the kind people here who generously give their time to help others. Switched out browsing Reddit/Youtube over the past week to browsing this forum and really feels like my thinking has improved. Yes, too much consumption at this point, and it would likely be good to get to taking some actual action ASAP (as a certain super-friendly forum user has kindly informed me.) In my defense, I've at least taken action at cleaning up my diet, establishing a meal prep routine, and fixed my sleep schedule. Still working on the exercise part. Lucky to not have had any serious health problems yet, but not being the youngest anymore I really want to have taking care of my health and longevity as a number one priority from now on. Anyhow really happy to have found this place, apologies for not having anything to say about business for now, gonna try to not disappear after a few posts and keep updating this thread as I go.

No skills?

You've earned your keep for a decade playing online poker? That takes serious discipline, and more than a little intelligence.

When I was an IT contractor I wanted to make a bit of money from home. This was the original Texas Hold'Em craze back in 2008 or so. I managed to grind up to a €2k profit one month then our first child was born.

The next month I earned nothing as I couldn't put any hours in. That's when I realised I was exchanging time for money. And that the guy with 2,000 members paying $20/mth for poker tutorials by various coaches wasn't playing poker anymore... he was playing golf.

I ended up falling into Google Ads where I could build little income streams that brought $250/mth, then $500+/mth. Sometimes they could be created and dialed in and would then bring that money for years to come.

With your mathematical and learning skills, plus ability to understand how people think, I'd look at media buying as a way of building little money making machines.

You could start by having clients and then maybe running campaigns for your own projects.

Something I've been advising people to start with who want to go freelancing is short form video creation for businesses or large YouTube channels. It's an in demand skill, and you don't need permission to create a short video from a long one on YouTube. Beware copywrite of course, but you can create a video and give it to a business to start a conversation.

Something I always advise is to start where you are currently and "grow what you know".

Can you create a channel of short videos all related to poker? Can you create compilation videos, or breakdown videos of big plays?

What are popular search terms on Google and/or YouTube that don't have good video answers? You can go long-tail like how to play pocket Jacks, or maybe find high volume searches about how to organise (and win) home games amongst buddies.


If you can create great videos then business may pay you to make videos for them. And maybe you can even figure out how to put ad spend behind those videos and make them profitable? That's another great skill that goes hand in hand with being able to create great videos.

What I like about being a freelance media buyer is I'm not in a zero sum game. I'm in the game of creating win-win-wins - I win when the consumer finds a great offer and hands their money to a business that serves them.

Happy consumer = Happy client = Happy media buyer


Check this old thread (and the video) to see how much simpler the marhs for media buying is than what you're used to:

MARKETING - How to get profitable or fail fast with AdWords

(Originally posted on the inside here.) How To Get Profitable Or Fail Fast With AdWords Here's how I often determine whether a project, niche, seed, or keyword has legs, or needs a bullet. Note1: I use blanket bid prices throughout the steps below, meaning the bid price within a campaign for...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[Goracykubek]

Tough spot to be in. I never figured out how to "get a life". You'll find advice like "start by saying hi to random people" and "smile at people when you do the groceries". From there it is all "draw the rest of the F*cking owl" advice, because most people are luckier and don't actually know the problem when they dream up solutions for you.

It seems getting into sales and acting has actually worked for quite a few people who had these issues. I spend 8h per day in my anti-social day job and must find time elsewhere to address the problem. After those 8h it is pretty much impossible for me to get anything else done. If you find a way to be social every day while making money, that is probably the most promising strategy.

Your current plan seems to be postponing the socializing while you work on a skill in isolation, or did I just assume that? Avoid that, if at all possible. Jump at any opportunity that presents itself if it could lead to some momentum in the socializing department.

Socializing is certainly what I'm the most afraid of so there's a strong desire to put it on the back burner as much as possible. But I know it's crucial advice, developing interpersonal skills is going to be essential if I ever want to get anywhere. Suppose my thinking is that if I get into the freelancing realm I'll inevitably be forced to learn how to market myself and talk to people to some extent, so I'm sort of hoping I might be able to get away with finding some kind of middle-ground as I go.

 

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[Goracykubek]

No skills?

You've earned your keep for a decade playing online poker? That takes serious discipline, and more than a little intelligence.

When I was an IT contractor I wanted to make a bit of money from home. This was the original Texas Hold'Em craze back in 2008 or so. I managed to grind up to a €2k profit one month then our first child was born.

The next month I earned nothing as I couldn't put any hours in. That's when I realised I was exchanging time for money. And that the guy with 2,000 members paying $20/mth for poker tutorials by various coaches wasn't playing poker anymore... he was playing golf.

I ended up falling into Google Ads where I could build little income streams that brought $250/mth, then $500+/mth. Sometimes they could be created and dialed in and would then bring that money for years to come.

With your mathematical and learning skills, plus ability to understand how people think, I'd look at media buying as a way of building little money making machines.

You could start by having clients and then maybe running campaigns for your own projects.

Something I've been advising people to start with who want to go freelancing is short form video creation for businesses or large YouTube channels. It's an in demand skill, and you don't need permission to create a short video from a long one on YouTube. Beware copywrite of course, but you can create a video and give it to a business to start a conversation.

Something I always advise is to start where you are currently and "grow what you know".

Can you create a channel of short videos all related to poker? Can you create compilation videos, or breakdown videos of big plays?

If you can create great videos then business may pay you to make videos for them. And maybe you can even figure out how to out ad spend behind those videos and make them profitable? That's another great skill that goes hand in hand with being able to create great videos.


What are popular search terms on Google and/or YouTube that don't have good video answers? You can go long-tail like how to play pocket Jacks, or maybe find high volume searches about how to organise (and win) home games amongst buddies.

What I like about being a freelance media buyer is I'm not in a zero sum game. I'm in the game of creating win-win-wins - I win when the consumer finds a great offer and hands their money to a business that serves them.

Happy consumer = Happy client = Happy media buyer


Check this old thread (and the video) to see how much simpler the marhs for media buying is than what you're used to:

MARKETING - How to get profitable or fail fast with AdWords

(Originally posted on the inside here.) How To Get Profitable Or Fail Fast With AdWords Here's how I often determine whether a project, niche, seed, or keyword has legs, or needs a bullet. Note1: I use blanket bid prices throughout the steps below, meaning the bid price within a campaign for...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

Thank you for the kind words Andy! You figured it out early. It's vastly more pronounced in 2022, with many fewer Fastlane players.

Appreciate you writing this up, going to take a deeper look into everything you mentioned. I'm sure there's much more to it than that, but getting to tinker some with numbers, analytics, keywords, etc definitely sounds appealing for my personality.

 

[Antifragile]

Future?
So I have no skills and I'm pretty stupid, but as I'm lucky to live at a time where infinite free education exists I should be able to improve on that.

Life is funny like that… when I read people’s posts with “look; I’m so smart… I do this and that, but …” I assume they aren’t smart. Then I read your post and you claim to be pretty stupid and I think “gee, here’s an honest person - definitely not stupid. No stupid person is capable of saying that.”

Past is the past. Nothing we can do about that. Future is unknown, not much I want to spend in my own fantasy about it either. I do know now. Now is the time to do things. Which you seem to have gotten to yourself already!

I dug up this for you:

"Meyer summarizes his code of honor as “(1) Show up. (2) Work hard. (3) Be kind. (4) Take the high road.”" (Adam M. Grant Ph.D., Give and Take)

Good luck!

 

[Andy Black]

You figured it out early. It's vastly more pronounced in 2022, with many fewer Fastlane players.

I also figured out I wasn't smart enough for the onion layers in poker. What does he think I think he thinks I have? What?!? I prefer the straight line obviousness of "They searched for a plumber in Dublin. I know what they want."

Oh, hold on. By @Antifragile's logic that makes me smart. Nice.

 

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[msufan]

Andy's responses here are tremendous. I also dabbled in poker and have profited from other +EV forms of gaming over the years. I agree that you have the mathematical mindset to do well with things like the Google Ad campaigns Andy described.

On the social side, like everything, it gets better with practice. Find a like-minded club to join where you can talk to people while doing an activity -- that's way easier than talking at a party or in a more formal social situation.

 

[Matt Lee]

Basically where I deserve after a decade of video games and movies, honestly probably better off, doubt there's been any other time in history when someone like me wouldn't have been thrown to the dogs by now lol.

You own it and that's what counts. That puts you ahead of the millions of others who believe they're a victim of their own choices. You can always choose to do things differently if you're breathing, and you know that already aha.

So I have no skills and I'm pretty stupid, but as I'm lucky to live at a time where infinite free education exists I should be able to improve on that.

I think you're pretty self-aware. That's a skill, a well-needed one at that. You've done well to stick with something for so long even if it's not something that's making you a lot of money, you can probably take that patience and discipline and apply it toward something else.

In my defense, I've at least taken action at cleaning up my diet, establishing a meal prep routine, and fixed my sleep schedule.

Yep, master the basic man. I tell you. It's just baby-stepping little by little and you'll become another person by the end of the year. 1 day at a time. Your body and mind will go through a metamorphosis like never before. I've done it and I'm still going through it.

Almost a year ago I found myself to be in a familiar position as you. I was this way from 19 to close to my 21 birthday. Sad. Miserable. Self-imposed depressed. Dabbling with entrepreneurship. I had a big problem with shiny object syndrome. I kept picking things up if people promised quick money and easy money. Digging wider holes instead of deeper holes. It was so bad I got to the point where I doubted if entrepreneurship was for me. Unlike you, I was not that self-aware.

Then in early 2022, as a 21-year-old, something clicked. My dad almost died. I really needed to see results. I realize I was losing time fast. 2 years past by me in a blink of an eye. I didn't even recognize who I was in the mirror.



I remember getting really pissed off for not taking things seriously and demanding rewards. I hated the feeling of giving up control and cowardly tuck myself inside due to the pandemic. The feeling of having to wait to be granted permission to do something. I still remember that awful feeling of seeing a loser in the mirror. I vowed to never let go of control of my life again then and there.

Things are getting better. I'm probably 1 bulk away from looking like the Hercules statue I always dream of or the statue of David. I'm in the process of growing a brand and every single month I've been seeing growth and I'm just getting started. I've been getting feedback from the mass on my brand that are showing signs of a potential productocracy.

My point is man: It really does get better if you start owning your life man. All it takes is 1 day at a time. You think big by thinking small.

 

[Goracykubek]

You own it and that's what counts. That puts you ahead of the millions of others who believe they're a victim of their own choices. You can always choose to do things differently if you're breathing, and you know that already aha.

I think you're pretty self-aware. That's a skill, a well-needed one at that. You've done well to stick with something for so long even if it's not something that's making you a lot of money, you can probably take that patience and discipline and apply it toward something else.

Yep, master the basic man. I tell you. It's just baby-stepping little by little and you'll become another person by the end of the year. 1 day at a time. Your body and mind will go through a metamorphosis like never before. I've done it and I'm still going through it.

Almost a year ago I found myself to be in a familiar position as you. I was this way from 19 to close to my 21 birthday. Sad. Miserable. Self-imposed depressed. Dabbling with entrepreneurship. I had a big problem with shiny object syndrome. I kept picking things up if people promised quick money and easy money. Digging wider holes instead of deeper holes. It was so bad I got to the point where I doubted if entrepreneurship was for me. Unlike you, I was not that self-aware.

Then in early 2022, as a 21-year-old, something clicked. My dad almost died. I really needed to see results. I realize I was losing time fast. 2 years past by me in a blink of an eye. I didn't even recognize who I was in the mirror.

View attachment 46527

I remember getting really pissed off for not taking things seriously and demanding rewards. I hated the feeling of giving up control and cowardly tuck myself inside due to the pandemic. The feeling of having to wait to be granted permission to do something. I still remember that awful feeling of seeing a loser in the mirror. I vowed to never let go of control of my life again then and there.
View attachment 46528
Things are getting better. I'm probably 1 bulk away from looking like the Hercules statue I always dream of or the statue of David. I'm in the process of growing a brand and every single month I've been seeing growth and I'm just getting started. I've been getting feedback from the mass on my brand that are showing signs of a potential productocracy.

My point is man: It really does get better if you start owning your life man. All it takes is 1 day at a time. You think big by thinking small.

Congrats on the progress! And thanks so much for sharing, very Inspirational stuff. Awesome to hear you're getting results now, seems you worked hard and smart to put yourself in a good position.

Definitely going to keep your advice in mind. I'll do my best to not waste time chasing shiny objects, deeper holes instead of wider ones. One day at a time.

 

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[Practic]

Socializing is certainly what I'm the most afraid of so there's a strong desire to put it on the back burner as much as possible. But I know it's crucial advice, developing interpersonal skills is going to be essential if I ever want to get anywhere. Suppose my thinking is that if I get into the freelancing realm I'll inevitably be forced to learn how to market myself and talk to people to some extent, so I'm sort of hoping I might be able to get away with finding some kind of middle-ground as I go.

There are some books you may find useful:
"The introvert edge" by Matthew Pollard and "The introvert entrepreneur" by Beth Buelow.

 

[Goracykubek]

There are some books you may find useful:
"The introvert edge" by Matthew Pollard and "The introvert entrepreneur" by Beth Buelow.

Thanks, added them to my list. Developing quite a one to read through, but I absolutely will check them out eventually.

 

[Andy Black]

I'm an introvert. I get out of my own way by realising everyone thinks about themselves and WiiFM (What's In It For Me?). I realised a long time ago that people mirror how you interact with them. Smile first and they often smile back. If they don't then so what. Focusing on helping people might help you as well.

 

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[Practic]

Thanks, added them to my list. Developing quite a one to read through, but I absolutely will check them out eventually.

You are welcome!

You may look into this thread for other ideas and business opportunities

CRYPTO - PEOPLE - Huge Security Alert: LastPass Suffers Major Data Breach - Here's What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself!

LASTPASS USERS READ THIS!! 1) If you use LastPass, attackers probably have a copy of your vault. CHANGING YOUR MASTER PASSWORD NOW WON’T HELP, they already have a copy that is unlockable with your old password. What to do? First, Stop using LastPass. 2) We don’t know how bad things are...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[Ing]

The book that helped me in social behavior hinsight most, was „ How to get friends and influence people“ Dale Carnegy.
I like Poker very much. But for me its the social ascent that counts most. Having a nice evening with friends. And imo you can read people like books while playing poker. Thats why I don’t like online poker.

You are good! And you will make any way you choose! I wish you success!

 

[Goracykubek]

I'm an introvert. I get out of my own way by realising everyone thinks about themselves and WiiFM (What's In It For Me?). I realised a long time ago that people mirror how you interact with them. Smile first and they often smile back. If they don't then so what. Focusing on helping people might help you as well.

Thanks again, I'll definitely keep that in mind. And yes, I am going to try to get to the helping people part in the not-too-distant future.

 

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[Goracykubek]

The book that helped me in social behavior hinsight most, was „ How to get friends and influence people“ Dale Carnegy.
I like Poker very much. But for me its the social ascent that counts most. Having a nice evening with friends. And imo you can read people like books while playing poker. Thats why I don’t like online poker.

You are good! And you will make any way you choose! I wish you success!

It's one of the books I've read a long time ago that I didn't take any action on, so have pretty much completely forgotten what it said. I'll make sure to give it another read at some point.

I've actually never played a single hand of poker in real life. It does look like a lot of fun, and very different from robotically grinding away at 12 tables online.