#637: What Poker Can Teach You About Luck, Skill, and Mastering Yourself

#637: What Poker Can Teach You About Luck, Skill, and Mastering Yourself

Maria Konnikova, who has her Ph.D in psychology and studies human behavior, had never played poker when she approached Eric Seidel, a renowned player of the game, asking him to show her the ropes. Eric agreed to be her coach and Maria spent a year working towards the World Series of Poker, playing in numerous tournaments and winning a major title and hundreds of thousands of dollars along the way. But the real prize she was after in this experimental endeavor wasn't money, but insight into the intersection between skill and luck, and how much control we humans have over our fate.

She got those insights in spades, and shares them in her latest book: The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win. Today on the show Maria explains why the poker table may be the best place to learn about the balance between chance and skill, and why we have such trouble untangling those two forces. We then get into how gambling has long been an interest of philosophers and led to advancements in probability theory, as well as why understanding the dynamics of betting allows us to improve ourselves. Maria then shares how she learned to detach herself from the outcomes of hands and concentrate only on what she could control, and how liberating it is to separate process from results. She describes the connection between poker and Sherlock Holmes, and how the game helped her not just see things but observe them. We then delve into the biases that get you off track with your goals, and the simple technique you can use to overcome them. We end our conversation with Maria's conclusions on the respective roles luck and skill play in our lives.

Get the show notes at aom.is/poker.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Avsnitt(1158)

You’ve Been Pooping Wrong — Here’s How to Do It Better

You’ve Been Pooping Wrong — Here’s How to Do It Better

Pooping. Everybody does it, but a lot of people are embarrassed to talk about it. That's a shame, my guest says, not only because your digestive health is incredibly linked to your overall health, but...

7 Apr 49min

The Mystery of Courage

The Mystery of Courage

Courage is one of our most prized and celebrated virtues. But once you really start exploring it, the nature of courage is surprisingly hard to pin down.Here to help us explore the fascinating complic...

31 Mars 56min

The Mental Skills for Becoming an Everyday Genius

The Mental Skills for Becoming an Everyday Genius

We tend to think of genius as something you’re born with — a rare trait possessed by the Einsteins and Teslas of the world. But what if many of the abilities we associate with genius — a great memory,...

24 Mars 49min

The Hidden Power of Heat — How a Good Sweat Heals Your Body and Mind

The Hidden Power of Heat — How a Good Sweat Heals Your Body and Mind

Cold exposure has gotten a lot of attention the past few years, with people dunking themselves in ice baths for the sake of their health and well-being. But, good news here, exposing yourself to heat ...

17 Mars 47min

The Invisible Limits Holding You Back (And How to Change Them)

The Invisible Limits Holding You Back (And How to Change Them)

When we fail to make desired progress in life, most of us put the blame on physical and environmental limits. But my guest says that what's really holding people back is what's in their heads.Nir Eyal...

10 Mars 51min

The Power of a Purpose-Driven Life

The Power of a Purpose-Driven Life

When it comes to building a happy and meaningful life, most of us rely on a grab bag of strategies — habits and goals around work, relationships, and health. But my guest today would argue that in the...

3 Mars 53min

Born to Carry — How to Build Strength, Stamina, and Sanity Through Rucking

Born to Carry — How to Build Strength, Stamina, and Sanity Through Rucking

If you're looking for a way to improve your fitness, boost your mental health, and reconnect with a deeply human activity — all without going to the gym or pounding your knees on a daily run — then ru...

24 Feb 51min

How to Have the Conversations You’ve Been Avoiding

How to Have the Conversations You’ve Been Avoiding

The awkward silence at work when everyone knows a project is going off the rails.The simmering resentment in a marriage over an issue neither spouse will confront.The dysfunction in a church where cer...

17 Feb 48min

Populärt inom Utbildning

historiepodden-se
rss-bara-en-till-om-missbruk-medberoende-2
det-skaver
alska-oss
nu-blir-det-historia
not-fanny-anymore
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
allt-du-velat-veta
johannes-hansen-podcast
sektledare
rss-viktmedicinpodden
rss-foraldramotet-bring-lagercrantz
roda-vita-rosen
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
i-vantan-pa-katastrofen
rss-sjalsligt-avkladd
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
sa-in-i-sjalen
rss-beratta-alltid-det-har
rss-basta-livet