The Social Aspect

I've spent a lot of time in this space talking about the technical aspect of poker; how to play, how I used to play versus how I play now, how I can improve, etc.  What I haven't done very much of, other than comments and stories in my live action recaps, is talk about the social aspect of the game.

Maybe the single biggest reason I love live poker as much as I do (and why online isn't cutting it for me), is the people.  Now, there are situations where people make it a less-than-pleasant time, but I have been fortunate enough to have not gone down that road often.  Regardless, those bad moments have been far outweighed by the good ones - good people, good conversations, and just a general overall good time.  Playing some poker, chatting it up, laughing, and making some money to boot.  That's hard to beat.

But...I feel like my enjoyment may be holding me back from becoming a better player.  When I play live, I will always talk with the people around me, and because of that, I can't focus as much as I "should" on the action, especially on hands I am not playing.  I have mentioned in this space how important it is to concentrate on play even when you are out of the hand, and how one's ability to do so can provide important information that may provide an edge later in the game.  At the moment, I am one of the large majority of people who can't/don't focus on the action, and I know this is to my detriment.

The real question is, does this matter to me?  How important is it to me to get better?  I know I have already made significant strides as a player in just a few live sessions, to the point where I feel comfortable playing against almost anyone, be it in cash or tournament play (but especially tournament).  So I have reached a comfortable plateau of sorts, knowing I can step into any game and, while I may not be successful in a monetary sense, I will play properly and the odds will be in my favor.

How important is it to me to take that next step, which at this point involves more focus and less talk?  Is it more important to have fun, and (forgive the obvious cliche) let the chips falls where they may?  That's the question I'm trying to answer right now, and frankly, I'm not sure.  Obviously, everyone who plays poker on at even a remotely serious level wants to get better.  But it's a tradeoff, and I need to find that balance.

Ideally, I would end up like Daniel Negreanu - someone who can run his mouth constantly and still play at a high level, besting most of those around him on a regular basis.  I know that's shooting for the moon, but hey - lofty goals are good, right?