Back from the Brink

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Back from the Brink

Paul Zimbler

18-Feb-10 12:25 | 0 comments

From A to Zimbler and Back Again...

If I'm going to be honest, 2009 was all set to be the toughest year yet. I started the year at an all time low and hoped it could only get better. The good news was that I was no longer feeling sorry for myself and dwelling in the past, but was ready for the future and knew that it was me, and only me, who could make things happen.

Many years ago, I wrote a TV show. I also wrote a business plan for a Poker School. I spent a lot of money trying to get the TV show off the ground and it seemed like I'd need to keep raising substantial amounts of money to make it happen. It was also extremely hard work getting the right networks to all agree so in the end I decided to focus on the Poker School.

Later that year, TIPS, The International Poker School, was born.

Having played poker for so long, I'll be honest and admit it wasn't easy going back to work. But knowing that the future lies in teaching, and knowing the rewards that can come from this, I decided to give it a shot.

One thing I know is that while I'm great with ideas, I'm not always so hot on delegating my work load to others. And this needed to change if I was to use my time in the most efficient way - as well as having time to play a few times a week to fund my lifestyle.

2009 was also the year that I got into the secret and cosmic ordering...wow how that changed everything! It's hard to rethink and readjust everything you do, think and say, but one thing I found out was that it works!

I had a lot to deal with and a lot to learn. But I managed to do this and, at the risk of sounding like a Shaman or Guru, I found peace within myself for all the things that had been eating me up. I eliminated all negativity from my life, finding positives instead and focusing only on things I wanted to or needed to. I know it's a little selfish, but hey, that's me. And it's what needed to be done!

I watched a woman I love get engaged and married. It wasn't easy but was probably for the best. I moved in with my brother; the best thing I have done in years. He has been my rock not only in 2009 but throughout my life. He may be the one who hears about all the good that comes from the way I live my life, but he's also the one who has to put up with all the crap.

I skipped Las Vegas and the WSOP in the summer, which, as a poker player, is probably the hardest thing to do. But it was also for the best. It needed to be done and I needed to regain my self-control and focus on my life over here before spending another two months in Vegas. I learned to open up and let people in my heart again. WOW that was hard! I also learned to forgive.

I then decided to go crazy and play poker for 78 hours and 45 minutes to raise a lot of money for good causes while not playing any of the WSOPE. I played some TV events and did well in them while getting my name out there. I took some phat holidays and learned to relax in the sun -that wasn't easy either! I spent time with my family and loved spending time with my niece and nephew. They rock my world!

And I nearly hit my high poker targets for the year so am very happy with that. And after doing all that, 2010 came round very fast.

Wasn't 2010 the future back in the days? Where are all the flying cars and those funky hover boards from Back to the Future? This year is set to be the start of the new me; a new decade and a chance to rebuild the empire I once had. The future is bright and the way poker is going, TIPS will be the biggest school in Europe by the end of the year, at least I hope it will! A big thank you to Paul Jackson, James Browning and Scott Marsh for their help and support with TIPS in 2009, and as promised, 2010 will be great for all of us.

February 14^th: Valentines D....

Now, it's getting close to Valentine's Day and that means one thing and one thing only...

We men have to think about making that night special for the woman in our lives or else there'll be trouble. As most men are lazy, we tend to leave this to the last minute and hope to somehow find something that will work a treat.

For me, Valentine's Day is a real pain as it's my birthday the day before, although at least the postman thinks I'm loved! Like a lot of men, I can't bear all the hype that surrounds St Valentine; it's just a poor excuse if you ask me.

If you're in a relationship or having fun with someone - or some people if you're lucky - then why would you need another special day to mark this? I know it's sad and maybe I'm just a boring old git, but it should be my right to show love whenever I chose and not when I'm told. My ideal Valentine's is probably a weekend away for my birthday as at least I can kill two birds with one stone, if you know what I mean!

Having said that, I do remember one Valentine's Day when I was 17. I was seeing this girl and we'd been on and off for a while so I decided to take her out for what I'd hoped would be a lovely evening. It started well as it normally does but towards the end things turned rather sour. I can still remember the look on her face when the waiter brought back the bill before saying: "Sorry Sir, but we don't accept cards."

I of course found this hilarious, especially as I didn't have any cash on me! But for some reason she was not quite as amused. Romance hey, whoever said it was dead?

But good luck with your planning guys, I haven't thought about mine yet, but I'll be sure to keep you posted on my blog if there's anything to report!

TIPS