He wrote a popular book called Way of the Peaceful Warrior, one of my all time favorites. He wrote something recently that should offend poker players everywhere! I wrote it on my personal blog, and am reposting it here. I just want to vent! And, see how other poker players feel about this! Please take a few minutes to read this, and comment. Am I justified in my anger?

WOW Dan Millman, major disappointment...


I know I haven't written in awhile. A lot has happened since my last post! But, I will just stick to poker related things for now.I got a job dealing poker recently, and I was right about dealing helping me become a better player. Been cashing in most of the tournaments I have entered lately at the Borgata. Including, in July, a 4th place out of 267, a couple of minor cashes, and two chops. One twelve ways for 16x the buy-in, and one 6 ways for about 6x the buy-in. All in all, poker is going very well, and I am fairly happy with how I've been progressing!

But that is not why I am writing today. First off, let me start by saying that whenever I have been asked, "What is your favorite book?", my enthusiastic, instant answer has been the same for 18 years. Way of the Peaceful Warrior, by Dan Millman! That book helped shape the way I look at myself, other people, life, and my personal philosophy. I have bought that book no less than 50 times, to give it away, and to reread it myself. The Life You Were born to Live was another one of his books that impacted me, I have gone back to it repeatedly throughout my teens, 20s, and now into my 30s. I even sat through that colossal fuck up of a movie that got made of Way of the Peaceful Warrior. So, naturally, when I found The Four Purposes of Life, I was excited! I wanted to read more of his stuff, since he has provided valuable insights that I have carried with me since I was 15!

I got about halfway through it and read THIS in the section about finding your career and calling:

Useful Service

I've known only two people who made good money doing satisfying work but whose labors performed no useful service to anyone. One of them was a criminal; the other was a professional poker player. (Some people suggest that making a distinction between the two is splitting hairs, but I respectfully disagree.) Both were takers, however, who left a trail of sorrow and frustration behind them. The first man is currently incarcerated - he got tired of running. The other may still be sitting in a card room somewhere, patiently doing his best to take other people's money.

WHAT THE HELL DAN? When I read that excerpt, my mouth dropped and my heart sank. I was crushed! He obviously doesn't understand how much of the principles he talks about in his books are incorporated into becoming a professional level poker player. He also doesn't get it that people willing seat themselves at the table (hopefully, with money they can afford to lose. Every poker player agrees that people shouldn't be playing with their rent money, or kids' college tuitions.) And, they are there hoping for the chance to take everyone else's money too, including mine! People sit down at a fairly even playing field (meaning you can't buy in to the game for more than the table maximum...), and have varying levels of skill in the game. They sit down with the hopes to win, but know that there is a risk that they will lose. We aren't robbing anyone of their money, they have decision making capabilities that help them to decide whether or not to put there money in the pot! Some people have worked very hard reading books, analyzing the game, and strengthening their own weaknesses to develop better decision making skills. It is a game where everyone their is a willing participant! No one is hiding out, waiting to shank someone and rob them of their money, except maybe at the Taj Mahal, but they aren't poker players!

Not to mention tournaments! Every player buys in for the same amount of money, and starts with the same amount of chips. All of the money goes into a prize pool that we are all playing for. We play until people get knocked out of the tournament leaving one, or maybe a few, winners. That's more of an even playing field! Someone with very little experience can enter a tournament, and with the right decisions (and sometimes the wrong ones), and a little luck, they can win it all!

He made it sound like it is wrong to do this for a living. Wrong because it serves no one but ourselves. I understand that we are our own boss, have no one that we are doing a job for but ourselves, and maybe that makes it self-serving, but how many people does the poker industry employ?? If we didn't love this game so much, and play it frequently, a lot of people would be out of a job! Poker dealers, floor managers, pit bosses, cleaning crew, tournament organizers, poker table manufacturers, the people that run the magazines we all subscribe to to hone our game, etc... The list goes on!

Mr. Dan Millman doesn't know what we all do in our free time (which we have a lot of, because we are our own boss . The people that play poker are a varied as the world is. Sitting at a poker table is like a microcosm of the world. Many different ethnicities. Many have other jobs, fireman, accountants, truck drivers, restaurant owners, police officers, nurses, teachers, doctors, lawyers (LAWYERS are far worse in how they treat human beings, attack THEM Dan!). Many people have families that they love, many are volunteers in their community, and most of them are honest, down to earth, spiritual, or even deeply religious individuals! The people who play come from all walks of life, all cultures, all faiths. Some of my best friends have been made playing poker.

Plus, there are a lot of people who don't even play the game, but are entertained by watching it on television, or from the sidelines in a poker room. So, I ask, how is professional poker any different than a professional athlete? Tell me Mr. Dan Millman, who were you SERVING by being a world champion in trampoline!?! But, I digress...Seriously, tell me how is it different than an actor? A musician? a professional golfer? All are watched for enjoyment, and entertainment right? And, without actually serving anyone but themselves.

We train, and hone our skills much like an athlete, or a professional musician... We need to master a large, varied skill set in order to master the game to the best of our ability. You have to learn patience, discipline, psychology and body language, math and statistics, emotional control, a zen- like level of focus, endurance, observance and recall, humility, resilience, courage, commitment, attention to detail, and... passion. Passion isn't really a skill to learn, but you definitely need it to be able to look at yourself honestly as a player to identify your weaknesses in the listed areas, and have the desire and drive to work hard at improving them!

Poker players are not dirty thieves, hiding out in card rooms to take money from the poor, and greedily laugh as they are running out the door. They are serious about their game, and dedicated to the development of their skills.

I would love a revision of his book, leaving out that terrible misconception of poker players. I only for the reason of being able to still recommend his books to others, and be able to finish this book, which I was thoroughly enjoying! How can one person go about doing that I wonder? I would settle for a heartfelt apology...Maybe.