You cannot maximize your potential in poker when you do not want to get out of your comfort zone. The comfort zone are those familiar scenarios and actions which come pretty much natural to you. In your comfort zone, you are not afraid and can confidently make decisions. If you want to make long-term gains though, breaking out of it is necessary.
Staying in the comfort zone will result to short-term profits but venturing outside this comfort zone will mean more profits, moving up, adaptability to other circumstances, mastering other kinds of games.
Let us say you do not go for higher stake poker games, then it is but natural that you will not develop the skills and the killer instincts to conquer this game. If you cannot handle the pressure of short handed games, then tournaments will be like jumping off a cliff for you.
If you want to develop your game, you need to get out of your comfort zone. The more often, the better. Getting out of it though involves sacrificing your short-term profits and of course, your comfort.
Do not resist change. It takes getting used to but you will be able to adapt as you see clearly the long term effects of your venturing out of your comfort zone. You will be losing some money along the way but it is all part of the game. You need to remember the big picture and your goal at the end of the line. You have to weigh the psychological sacrifices as well as the financial risks involved.
The cause and the effects of getting out of the comfort zone must be clear so you can rationalize why you want to move out of your comfort zone. The relationship among these factors will be the primary force that is holding you back from improving your game, and going out of your comfort zone.
