by

Tim Ferriss

Setting Goals, Making Money, and Overcoming Tough Times — Phil Hellmuth (#260)

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“The difference between your best and your worst? The perception of others. Block out the noise, and you’ll stay on track.” — Phil Hellmuth

Phil Hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) is an American professional poker player who has won a record fourteen World Series of Poker bracelets. He is the winner of the Main Event of the 1989 World Series of Poker (WSOP), the Main Event of the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), and he is a 2007 inductee of the WSOP’s Poker Hall of Fame. Hellmuth is also known for his temperamental “poker brat” personality — reflected in his new book, Poker Brat: Phil Hellmuth’s Autobiography.

In this conversation, we discuss:

  • The importance of setting goals and blessings
  • How he became the youngest person to win the World Series of Poker
  • The right way to manage your money
  • His prep for high-stakes games
  • What it takes to compete at the highest level
  • And much, much more.

This episode comes from my new television show Fear(less), where I interview world-class performers about how they’ve overcome doubt, conquered fear, and made their toughest decisions. You can watch the entire first episode with illusionist David Blaine for free at att.net/fearless. (To watch all episodes, please visit DIRECTV NOW).

We recorded three hours of material and only one hour was used for the TV show. This podcast episode is almost entirely new content that didn’t appear on TV.

Enjoy!

#260: Setting Goals, Making Money, and Overcoming Tough Times — Phil Hellmuth

Want to hear another podcast with a guest from Fearless? — Listen to this episode with Micahel Gervais. We discuss how to win the war against anxiety, some of the more effective (and less effective) ways to self-talk, behind-the-scenes stories of Michael’s clients, understanding mastery, and much more. (stream below or right-click here to download):

#256: How to Overcome Anxiety and Stress – with Adviser to Olympians, Michael Gervais

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QUESTION OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

  • Connect with Phil Hellmuth:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Show Notes

  • Can you tell when someone’s lying? Can you lie and not get caught? Phil Hellmuth has spent 30 years practicing both. [05:15]
  • Swearing is part of the lexicon shared by poker players and people from Long Island. [06:16]
  • How Phil constantly reminds himself of goals and blessings every morning — and how this practice has motivated others. [07:05]
  • Phil’s coping mechanisms and strategies during tough times. [09:55]
  • Dealing with criticism — especially of the anonymous, online variety. [13:10]
  • Young Phil sets his life goals after an epiphany in wintery Wisconsin. [17:41]
  • What happened when some of these life goals started to fall into place — and how his first book became a New York Times bestseller. [22:39]
  • Why Phil places more value on his money management acumen than poker skills, and what system has worked best for him. [25:01]
  • Phil talks about his late ’80s showdowns with Johnny Chan. [30:48]
  • The Antonio Effect as a tonic against unbridled hubris. [36:17]
  • What’s Phil’s secret to marriage longevity? [40:10]
  • How do Phil’s poker skills help him away from the table? [43:56]
  • Who are the first people who come to mind when Phil hears the word “successful?” [48:23]
  • On the concept of forgiveness and its unexpected rewards. [52:11]
  • From forgiveness to rampage. [59:52]

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