Take heart, losing is wonderful...

[marriedputter]

This thread is for all of you out there in the red.

You already know that losing is good because of the element of cover (you can't win every time or you'll get 86'd for sure). Losing is also good for comps if your game allows you to safely collect them. There's nothing like free meals, hotels, shows, or whatever else you may be into to add into the EV. The real value of losing though is much more beneficial than any comp or cover.

The type of losing that I am referring to is not your redundant one session loss after three winning sessions. I am referring to the type of losing that makes you question card counting. It makes you question your abilities (sometimes a good thing). It makes you question whether or not some malevolent god is out there pulling strings and consistently causing the dealer to hit her 16 to a 21, even though the true count is +10. I'm talking about the type of losing where the count stays high through 3 decks and you just keep losing away at your max bet long after the ploppies have deserted the table. It's the type that makes the casino think that you are just futilely chasing your losses and are a degenerate gambler.

This losing is wonderful because if you are willing to test your will, it gives you a thick skin. It will change you and you will trust the math. Only when you can endure this type of freakishly crazy losing, and not freak out yourself, can you call yourself an investor.

If we use a scale of -10 to +10 to rate our emotions (-10 being miserable and +10 being ecstatic), we must diligently work to remove the negative numbers from our emotions. I used to be a -10 after a drubbing and a +10 after a big win. Now, I am a +10 after a big win and a big fat 0 after a mega loss. In other words, losing is just a shoulder shrug for me. This is now the way I approach card counting, the stock market, and my real estate holdings. Like Rocky said: "it's not about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward."

If you are losing and you feel angry or depressed, keep at it. Provided that you are doing things correctly, you will be rewarded, and you can do it without fear with enough experience. The pain that you are feeling is just weakness leaving the body.

For all those like me who are currently in the red, this is for you. Good cards and may the math be with you!