Self-discipline is the players most important and critical advantage in a game.
Self-discipline is one pillar in the system for successful gaming. Having the ability to control oneself takes away from he blatant manipulation found in most casinos. The player must be honest with their feelings and have the discipline to act on the information before deciding to play. Too often players eagerly get into action before they should and when they are not ready to play. Some can scarcely wait to de-board the plane to play the “loose” machines at the airport. Here is a checklist to consider before entering the casino.
- Do not play if you are tired. Traveling burns a great deal of physical and emotional energy. Never play if you are not physically up to the task.
- Do not play if you are not feeling well. If you are ill or coming down with a cold it is an indication of low energy. Never play if you are not well.
- Do not play if you are emotionally upset. Emotions are powerful and they can influence negative behavior. If you are angry, depressed, anxious, judgmental, or experiencing other negative emotions do not play. Negative emotions oscillate at a lower energy and will be a deterrent to your game. Energy, high or low attracts like energies.
- Do not play with “scared money” or with money that you do not have to risk. This is an absolute no-no. This invokes a feeling of lack, desperateness and anxiety. It does not support or create a feeling of abundance and limitlessness. You must play with money that allows you to feel abundant so that you are comfortable with the risk. There must not be any charge of negativity on your bankroll. Detachment is imperative, along with the confidence of knowing that you are an expert at your game. Detachment does not mean not caring or whimsical. It is the detachment of the emotion from outcomes, either losing or winning.
- Do not play if you are not ready. This requires an honest check-in asking yourself if you are ready to play. It is not the same thing as “wanting” to play. Perhaps you are feeling anxious and behind that, is a feeling of fear. Being afraid to enter the game is valid and you should honor the feeling. It is not cowardly. It is courageous to use the information and to be brave enough to walk. Never play if you are not 100% ready to enter the game. Have the discipline to be honest with yourself.
- Do not jump into the first game that you come to. Examine what is going on in the whole casino and assess the situation before committing. Notice the energy and the action. Is it a winning, expanding atmosphere or does it feeling like a losing, constricting atmosphere? Ask yourself questions. What is going on here? Is there a winning game here for me? Do I like what I see? Do I like what I feel? Do I feel honored? How you are feeling about the present moment, is invaluable information, use it to your advantage. The casinos never close. There is a good game for you. It is your job to find it. Be disciplined, some times you will not find a suitable game and you will have to walk away.
- Do not play if you perceive a message of a poor game. Life is coming at you constantly. It is possible to get a glimpse of the future before experiencing it in real time. Information signals to you in metaphors. You notice something that you see or hear and it translates into information in the form of a feeling or as a little voice whispering to you, “not now, not this game”. I do not present this strategy to cause you paranoia or confusion. Paying attention to the little details does provide you with valuable subliminal messages. Notice if there are applications for the immediate task at hand. Here is an example: Once, when entering a casino, the door would not open when I pulled on it. My immediate thought was, “Oh, oh, not a good sign. Perhaps I am being warned not to enter”. I went in anyway, I played and suffered the loss. At the very least, one might say, “bad Feng Shui.” Energy is not able to enter when a door is stuck and money is a form of energy.
In addition to a personal check-in, know your way around the casino. It plays to the intimidation factor if you do not know where you are. Walk around an unfamiliar casino. Take your time to learn the layout. Find the bathrooms, the lounge, restaurants, the cashier and especially the closest exit. The casino is a place for your enjoyment and you must feel comfortable, perhaps even safe, in order to enjoy the gaming experience. After learning your way around and going through your check-in, you should know that you are ready to play.
Michael Vernon
Playing4Keeps.com
