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Being a professional poker player doesn’t mean having your name in lights: it means playing poker as your job. You don’t need to travel circuits around the world to be a professional poker player – you just need to make it your main source of income. If you find a place or two you jive with, stick with those places. It’s your bread and butter. You will likely develop a reputation for yourself if you stick to one or two places. People may start not wanting to play with you, or worse, recognizing your habits and strategy. If you sense this coming, you may have to widen your circuit and play unsuspecting strangers. If you’re lucky enough to be an amazing poker player who resides out of the USA, you can play online poker to pad your bankroll. Lots of people find this easier – it’s often quicker, pain-free, and, quite frankly, it’s easier to take money from the faceless. If you do live in the USA, it’s possible, but it may not be legal. The US decreed a law recently banning banks from dealing with online poker companies. However, you can play for free online to practice – or you could hack into the system and get a foreign IP address, though that’s not at all recommended. That huge number you came up with in the last section? You need that to play seriously. You need that for buy-ins and betting, and for when lady luck isn’t on your side. Every time you win a game, have half of your hand go directly to your bankroll. If you’re playing often, you should have it in a few months’ time. Don't be tempted to get into intense tournaments when you don't have it just yet. You may end up losing your earnings and having to start all the way back over. Be patient. Some people are just not smart about playing games of skill. They end up losing all their money on a hand they swore was going to be the big winner. They go home penniless, having to beg their friends for favors. Don’t let that be you! Have some money saved up for a rainy day in case you become a little too addicted to the game and happen upon an unfortunate losing streak. If you sense this happening, get help immediately. A gambling addiction can ruin your life, in addition to family members' and loved ones'. Talk about your problem or call a help hotline if need be. So you’ve graduated from Jimbo and Bubba, you played in the big tournaments in a few of your local casinos and did well, but then you went off to Vegas and got your shirt handed to you? Swallow your pride and back up. Hone your game, and then try again. There's no shame in it. Think of this as an opportunity to grow. Where did you mess up? What could you have done better in? Instead of letting this damage your ego, take it as a sign showing you how you can improve.
Find a place you can reliably make money. If you live outside the USA, play online poker. Start building up your bankroll. Have an emergency life fund, too. Don’t be ashamed to drop down a tier.