Willpower in the context of bankroll management can be defined as:

….inner strength to make decisions and take action regardless of inner discomfort, resistance or difficulty….

Willpower is the power of pushing towards any goal with decisiveness, firmness and determination. In my opinion it is exactly here where successful people are separated from others. Successfull people make the choice of pushing forward towards their goals even through the toughest periods.

Why is willpower important for bankroll management?

In order to avoid falling back into old habits, willpower is necessary when adversity knocks on the door. However the value of willpower must be seen in the right context. If you attempt to do Bankroll Management for too long on willpower alone you will not succeed. Willpower demands an energy level that can only be maintained for a limited period of time and is thus not sustainable in the long run. So when you find yourself struggling with your project, don’t continuously rely on willpower to get you through the hurdles. Sometimes it is just as effective to take a break and do something completely different.

How is willpower developed?

To take advantage of willpower in the context of bankroll management it is important to know what it can do and what it can not do. Willpower is an intense yet temporary boost. Don’t let willpower be the primary fuel to make you reach your goal. If willpower is used for too long you will probably burn out. It needs to be directed intelligently and be used at the right moments only for you to overcome down periods in your bankroll management process and general online poker game.

Willpower is closely linked to discipline as described in the article “Bankroll Building Skills – Discipline”. Willpower however differs through its high energy nature and temporary boost. The high mental energy requirements of willpower can be developed if you have set a goal that is visionary enough to bring you a high level of satisfaction if you reach the goal. The way to develop this energy boost is just to get away from the poker tables for a short time and then dwell on your poker goals – visualize how cool the goals are in order to transform your mental mindset to a state where you can reach the goals.

Remember that the larger your goals and the more successfull you are in visualizing them, the better you will be able to boost your energy in that moment.

You could be posting your articles on the Poker Bankroll Blog. Read all about it here.