#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)

The Essential Habits for Becoming an Agile, Vital, and Durable Human Being

The Essential Habits for Becoming an Agile, Vital, and Durable Human Being

Kelly Starrett, a doctor of physical therapy, has trained professional athletes, Olympians, and military special operators, helping them unlock peak performance. But as he approached his fifties, he s...

22 Juli 202449min

The 5 Mountains of Personal Development

The 5 Mountains of Personal Development

The journey of personal development, of becoming a more excellent and extraordinary individual, can sometimes seem a little abstract. That’s why it’s helpful to imagine it as Mark Divine does, as a se...

17 Juli 202454min

Stop Drowning in Tedious Tasks by Taming Your Life Admin

Stop Drowning in Tedious Tasks by Taming Your Life Admin

Filling out paperwork. Making travel reservations. Paying bills. Shopping for groceries. Returning packages.These are all examples of life admin — the little tasks we have to do to keep our lives movi...

15 Juli 202448min

A Surprising Solution for Disordered Masculinity

A Surprising Solution for Disordered Masculinity

There has been a lot of media coverage and dialogue about the struggles men are facing in the modern day. There's been some solutions forwarded to these struggles as well. Among these, Dr. Anthony Bra...

10 Juli 202453min

The Sunscreen Debate — Are We Blocking Our Way to Better Health?

The Sunscreen Debate — Are We Blocking Our Way to Better Health?

You probably think of the health effects of sunlight as a mixed bag. On the one hand, sun exposure helps your body make vitamin D. But on the other, it can cause skin cancer.To get around this conundr...

8 Juli 202450min

Optimize Your Testosterone

Optimize Your Testosterone

When men think about optimizing their hormones, they tend only to think about raising their testosterone. But while increasing T can be important, an ideal health profile also means having testosteron...

3 Juli 202446min

Books, Routines, and Habits: The Founders' Guide to Self-Improvement

Books, Routines, and Habits: The Founders' Guide to Self-Improvement

A lot of self-improvement advice and content feels empty. And there's a reason for that. It often offers routines and habits to practice, but doesn't offer a strong, overarching reason to practice the...

1 Juli 202444min

The Fascinating Differences Between Male and Female Friendships

The Fascinating Differences Between Male and Female Friendships

Friendships are a central part of the lives of both men and women. But from personal observation, you've probably noticed that the dynamics of male and female friendships aren't always the same. You m...

26 Juni 202450min

Populärt inom Utbildning

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