#017 Chris Sparks: High-stakes Poker, the training regimen of a world-class mental athlete, and coaching the top 0.01%

Chris says he isn’t the best poker player in the world, but he may be the most profitable.  Pro poker player Chris Sparks is training for the highest-stakes tournament he has ever played in after a long sabbatical. He says he has already decided he is going to win, and now he is doing the necessary things to create that outcome. What is the dynamic amongst poker friends? Chris says “frenemies” – all bets are off when the cards are on the table. Chris only plays when he expects to make money, and elaborates on the role of recreational players, stating that if you can’t recognize the fish at the poker table, you are the fish. In the poker world, the meta skill of finding good games, of getting invited, and staying invited are critical. A good example is how Chris got invited to a famous comedian’s poker parties multiple times. Chris recounts these parties that feature full sets of dealers, cocktail waitresses, and masseuses--and it all ends when the comedian gets tired. We talk about Chris’s consulting agency, Forcing Function, travel, and living with one of the world’s best pianists. Currently, Chris is coming out of a sabbatical and is preparing to play his largest tournament to date, with the prize pool potentially reaching seven figures.  For Chris, everything is a bet. But with any bet, the decision should be weighed with the things surrounding it and you go in with eyes wide open.   Links Chris’ Website - https://www.chrissparks.io/ Forcing Function - https://www.forcingfunction.com/ Chris Spark’s essay on Poker: Play to Win: Meta-Skills in High Stakes Poker Rounders Movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r-K5dmt0Rc  Molly’s Game movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu4UPet8Nyc  The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://amzn.to/3ljtOIh  Forcing Function Podcast - https://www.forcingfunction.com/podcast Forcing Function Performance Library - https://www.forcingfunction.com/library  Experiment without limits workbook - https://www.forcingfunction.com/workbook  The Fifth Discipline Field Book by Peter Senge - https://amzn.to/3I5rrCU  The Systems Bible by John Gall - https://amzn.to/3D3S9bj  Additional Episodes If You Enjoyed: Kevin Espiritu: Bootstrapping Epic Gardening to 8 figures by mixing Media + D2C Biz models. Oh and Poker, Pink Pineapples, and Male Models Jason Hitchcock: Your Guide to Web3 (DeFi, NFTs, and The Metaverse) David Perell: Intellectual Openness & Mental Models for Success   If you want to support the podcast, here are a few ways you can:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanak: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Share the podcast with your friends and on social media  >> Give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners  >> Make a weekly, monthly, or one-time donation: https://app.omella.com/o/9Bufa  >> Follow me on Twitter: @ericjorgenson >> Learn more and sign up for the “Building a Mountain of Levers” course and community: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  I appreciate your support!