In chapter 33 of A-Game Poker, Elliot Roe explores why motivation comes and goes, why that’s normal, and how a clear long-term vision and identity as an A-Game Player create motivation that actually lasts.
A-Game Players understand motivation deeply and develop strategies to sustain it through long-term vision and identity alignment, rather than relying on short bursts of enthusiasm.
Misconceptions About Motivation
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Motivation is NOT about feeling excited all the time.
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The belief that motivation = constant energy is false and unsustainable.
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Social media creates an illusion that successful people are always driven and never struggle.
Most people confuse motivation with passion—but true passion is not excitement; it’s a willingness to endure difficulty for something meaningful.
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The word passion originally meant “to suffer” (from the Latin patior).
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Real passion is about commitment, not fleeting excitement.
The Progress Path: The Emotional Cycle of Success
Poker players (and anyone pursuing mastery) cycle through predictable emotional phases:
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Initial Infatuation – The “honeymoon phase,” where everything feels exciting and effortless.
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Into The Rabbit Hole – Realization of how deep the game is and how much work mastery requires.
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The Grind – Motivation fades, progress slows, and frustration sets in. Most people quit here.
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The Choice – Decide whether to give up, play half-heartedly, or push forward.
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Embrace The Grind – Accept and enjoy the challenge, fueling long-term success.
Most players who never improve are trapped in an endless loop of jumping from format to format to chase the excitement of “Initial Infatuation” instead of committing to The Grind.
The Grind: The Gatekeeper to Success
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The Grind filters out those who lack true passion.
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It signals that a breakthrough is near—players who persist often achieve major growth.
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Jumping from format to format prevents progress—instead of breaking through, players start over again.
True Motivation: The “Why” Behind Your Actions
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Motivation is not an external force—it’s a series of reasons.
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People fail at long-term goals because they lack a deep “why” for what they are doing.
To sustain motivation, ask yourself:
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Why am I doing this?
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Why do I want to do this?
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Why should I endure hardship for this goal?
Without a strong “why,” people default to short-term pleasure over long-term success.
How Vision Creates Motivation
Your long-term vision dictates your short-term decisions—and your short-term decisions dictate your long-term success.
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If you don’t have a clear vision for your future, you get stuck in distractions.
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A strong vision makes distractions less tempting—you’ll feel internal conflict when going off track.
Example: Why You Don’t Steal
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You don’t walk into a store and actively decide not to steal—it’s just not part of who you are.
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When you create a vision of yourself as an A-Game Player, discipline becomes effortless.
By aligning your identity with success, you don’t need willpower—your actions naturally follow your vision.
Final Takeaways
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Motivation is not about constant excitement—it’s about endurance.
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The Grind is where most players fail—but it’s also where the biggest breakthroughs happen.
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Vision creates natural discipline—if you see yourself as an A-Game Player, you will act like one.
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Your short-term decisions define your long-term success.
The Final Question: What Comes Next?
So far, we’ve tackled:
✅ Detrimental Mental Programs
✅ Dealing with downswings
✅ Lack of motivation
You now have a framework for what the best players in the world do, the strategies to implement them, and the mindset shifts to overcome what’s holding you back. The final step is deciding what you’ll do with this knowledge—and choosing to become an A-Game Player.