As I recently mentioned, some old friends came out to Seattle to visit us over the weekend. We had a great time camping on Orcas Island, hiking, kayaking, drinking beer and making S’mores (the secret ingredient is Hershey’s Special Dark instead of milk chocolate bars), and then to top it all off, we tried some outdoor rock climbing.
My girlfriend and I took an introductory indoor climbing class a few years ago but have done virtually nothing since. Our friends have recently started climbing regularly at an indoor gym but had no outdoor experience, so while they were more advanced than we, all of us were new to “real” rock climbing.
We had a guide to set the ropes, show us the routes, and belay us. He offered some instruction, but not as much as I was expecting. Mostly he just turned us loose on the wall and let us figure it out.
As I’ve been doing so much poker coaching lately, it was an interesting experience for me to be on the other side of the teacher-student relationship. The courses we climbed were tough by a beginner’s standards but clearly a cakewalk for an experienced climber. I couldn’t help but be aware that I was getting stuck and complaining about an inability to find a foothold in spots were a seasoned veteran would see dozens of places to put his feet.
There’s really a different way of seeing that comes with experience and expertise, and we certainly see that in poker. A good poker player can spot so many things that a weaker player cannot: opportunities for multi-barrel bluffs, for thin value bets, for floats. In short, better players see value where others do not because, among other things, they know how to look ahead to future streets and bluffing opportunities.
I also found that climbing rewards the same Zen-like indifference to failure that I strive for in poker. My first time up the wall took nearly 45 minutes because I was terrified of slipping and wanted to be certain of every step before I took it. Of course, when climbing you are securely roped in, so there’s really no danger in falling off the wall- it’s actually kind of fun! On my final climb I summited the more difficult route that had thwarted me on my second climb by throwing caution to the wind and just stepping up anytime I found a crack to jam one of my feet into. Naturally I slipped off and had to swing back to my place a few times, but more often than not I surprised myself by keeping my feet and securing a new, higher perch.
Likewise in poker you have to be willing to attempt some risky things if you want to get better. I’ve made plenty of bad bluffs, value bets, calls, etc., but overall I feel like my willingness to try new lines and experiment has helped me to improve. I’m not saying you should go making plays willy nilly that you suspect to be bad, but you shouldn’t let the fear of getting called stop you from pulling the trigger on a bluff if you think it’s close. Learning to see all of your options and having the courage and the confidence to act on them is what will get you to the top of the mountain.
I love your Zen approach, of course! Great how it carries over to all aspects of life including poker and rock climbing. The only thing I question is Hershey’s products. From a reliable source, GreenAmerica, I learned of “Hershey’s Dark secret”- child slave labor! Consider purchasing only fair-trade chocolate, coffee, sugar, bananas, etc. Look for the label!
Namaste!