What do you do for a living? I THINK like this query goes to be an eternal struggle for poker players. Isaac Haxton wrote a very good post about it earlier this year explaining what different reactions you'll expect from people while you say that you are playing poker for a living.
If poker is your main occupation or you probably have read Isaac's article, you then need to be acquainted with what reactions you'll encounter. Most of the time what would has been a 2 minute conversation for many will finally end up in a half hour debate for you. And the issue remains: whenever you hear that query you're probably thinking "Here we go again" mixed with a sense of resignation.
Over time I've noticed that I recur to a couple strategies to assist handle this. One of the vital things you're probably doing already but you've got never taken the time to consciously take into consideration them. To start with you need to identify the location you're in.
Do they should know?
Ask yourself if the opposite person really must know what your job is that if. they're just attempting small talk, then the answer's no. You being a teacher, an astronaught or a poker player isn't important to them. At the other hand, if you are having an appointment with a physician and so they ask what you do for a living then it's crucial information. You spending numerous hours sitting on a chair or a pc screen may well be connected to whatever reason took you to the doctor even supposing you do not see how. Similarly, if you are out on a date then it's probably a good suggestion to share your occupation. Maybe not at the first date, but somewhere along the best way your companion has to be told what you do.
Once you've established whether the individual you're having the conversation with must learn about your job or not, there are two distinct scenarios. The primary one is where they must know, so that you explain what being a poker player is and asnwer all their questions. What I NEED to concentrate on is the second one scenario, once they need not know.
Avoid the question
There really isn't a greater strategy to solve an issue than to ensure it doesn't occur in any respect. Actually you'll predict when the feared question goes to pop up at a talk. If you are casually talking with someone you simply met, there are numerous subjects you'll be able to discuss. The weather, where you're at, the typical friend that brought you together, etc. Stir the conversation clear of work. And do not ask first what they do for a living. When they tell you, it is just natural that they ask back the similar thing.
Change the subject
Sometimes regardless of how much you are trying to circumvent it by guiding the conversation elsewhere, they are going to ask what they suspect is an easy question. This will likely sound strange, but you'll be able to immediately change the topic and never reply in any respect. The trick here's to do it naturally, like you're really eager about whatever you are saying next and never like you're avoiding the solution. Let's say, for example, that you are in a taxi and the motive force asks you what you do for a living. You are not really within the mood of getting to provide an explanation for how poker works to an entire stranger so that you reply with another question "Do you think that there's going to be traffic at X street? Maybe there is a shortcut that we will be able to take...". It will sound too simple, but you would be surprised at how often that works. Most likely, the taxi driver is excited about having a friendly conversation with you and doesn't really care what about. You'll speak about the way it always gets traffic around that time, in regards to the people getting back from holidays, the great restaurant that you simply drove by. If it works, they almost never return to asking you again what you do for a living.
Flat out lie
This one I AM NOT exactly proud of, but I bet that each professional poker player has lied at least one time of their career about their occupation. In case you haven't, you then should consider yourself one of the vital lucky ones. Overall I'm used to coping with the "Ooohs" and "Aaaahs" and follow up questions after the statement "I play poker for a living". But let's just face it, sometimes it's just better not to reveal the reality. Do I ACTUALLY need to get into details with the 80 year-old neighboor of my grandmother? Nope. I'm all about explaining how I make a living out of poker to people who are open-minded or no less than interested about it, but in certain cases I DO KNOW the end result beforehand. In terms of the 80 year-old neighbor, I COULD escape with a couple of sideway glances but there's certain to be gossip with the remainder of the building: "HAVE YOU EVER heard? Her granddaughter is a gambler!". I just find it simpler to inform them what they would like to listen to. Some people will just not get it cause they do not want to, regardless of how hard you try.
Stick as with regards to the reality as possible
When lying, I BELIEVE it's better to stay to the reality up to you'll be able to. Simply because I've decided to not tell someone that i am a certified poker player does not imply that I'll say I'm a bailarina on the Bolshoi Academy. I just say I'm an accountant which was my previous job. In the event that they ask to any extent further questions about it, I'VE all of the answers ready. I AM NOT lying about everything. I'm giving them facts a few job I've done, it's just not what I'm doing at this time. Any other times I'll say the reality but ommit some parts of it. To me that's still lying, but in a more tactfull manner. "What I do for a living? Oh, I work with computers for a global company". Cause hey, I play poker online so I do work with a pc all day long. And i am proudly sponsored by PokerStars that is a large company that operates in lots of countries. So 100% of what I said is right. More often than not that gets them tired of the conversation and a few people just like the 80 year-old neighbor are most likely to modify the topic themselves on the mention of the word "computer".
The great point though is that times are changing. It happens increasingly more frequently to me to get surprised by people. "You play poker for a living? Cool! I'VE a chum whose friend also plays full time. I DO NOT know what he/she does exactly, but I DO KNOW that poker is his/her only occupation!". The sport is getting more popular on a daily basis so it's common that there are more people outside of the poker world that hear about it. The more the word gets spread, the closer we get to the purpose where being a poker player may be a longtime profession everywhere. So next time someone asks the way you make a living, take into accounts what you are going to reply cause maybe it's worth going into that half hour debate after all!
Katerina Malasidou is member of PokerStars Team Online
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com]
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