Reality

Its been a month since my last day of work. In 135 hours of poker play since then, I've made enough money to cover my expenses. Barely. And I made more money from bonuses and rakeback than I did from poker winnings.

If this is the best I can do, I won't be doing this for long.

But I'm willing to call this month an "adjustment period," be glad I made any money at all, and see if I can improve my results over the next month. I've still got a 6 month expense cushion so I'm not afraid to fail. If nothing else, I've bought myself a few months of freedom and a cool story.

But I don't think I will fail. I've probably learned more about the game in the last month than I have in several years combined. I'm making adjustments in my game and in my lifestyle that have already begun to yield positive results. And I've had months in the past where I made more money playing far fewer hours and at lower stakes, so I know I can do better.