When I first started playing poker a little over 3 years ago, after experiencing some winning live sessions early on, I really felt that this could be something I could pursue. Of course I went through downswings, experienced the negative side of variance, busted my bankroll, built it back up only to bust again due to poor bankroll management skills, but that vision still hasn't gone away. I'm not sure why even after experiencing all the negative aspects of this game, I still have this vision that it will work out someday down the line. I'm the type of person that when I'm into something, I'm all or nothing with that something. It can be a both good and bad trait to have. I've only had a few interests in my life so far at 26 years old. Music, playing guitar more notably, was one, poker was second, and health and fitness was third, and I've been slacking terribly with the third one I must add. I truly enjoy learning about music, music artists, different genres, playing guitar, etc. but it's difficult in this day and age to try and make a solid living with music. Health and fitness could be a good field to be in with a lot of earning potential, but my desire isn't there. I enjoy exercise, but for me, having a career revolve around health and fitness would drive me nuts because I know me, I like food, I like a lot of it and it would be a constant back and forth internal battle of guilt and unpleasantness. Now I left poker last. Poker is without a doubt the hardest way to make an easy living but for some crazy reason I'm all about it. I still have this vision that it can create some financial freedom for me if I buckle down with it correctly, study and put in the time. I have this vision that if I could place well in a big tourney, it could create a nice cushion for me. Take some worry out of life and it's financial demands. And like I said earlier, I still have this vision that someday it will work out. It's not even that I'm overly optimistic, I guess it's just because I know who I am and what I like is what I want to do. I look at the pros who've made it and the sacrifices they made for playing this game as well. I'm never once jealous of any pro out there who's made a good living at this game. The only thing it does for me is inspires and motivates me. Galfond, you inspire me. Koon, you inspire me, Sulsky you inspire me, everyone here on RIO in some way shape or form, inspires me. I'm not saying I want or have the capability of becoming a millionaire from poker, I'm not even sure if I could be a hundred thousandnaire from poker, but I have this feeling and this vision that something will work for me with this game. It's a feeling that's been staying with me for a while. I may sound crazy with all this, but life is just too short to say woulda, coulda, shoulda. I fully understand we are out of the golden era of poker and it's a lot more difficult to try to make a go at this, but I think if you put your mind, body and soul into something your passionate about, the universe is gonna get outta your way and let you do you. All I can do is be the best me I can possibly be and if it doesn't work out, which is understandable, at least I gave it a shot because I would feel so much worse being older and thinking to myself, I wonder if?