I think what’s really stood out when writing these tweets, is just how transferable so many of the skills and attributes needed to be a professional punter, are to other sectors of the economy and potentially other jobs. There are many skills that are pretty obvious. Things like the ability to assess and manage risk, decision making, uncertainty, causality, biases, money management, discipline, variance, accountability. The list is pretty long. However, one really under appreciated attribute I think is the ability to think outside of the box. To not go with the obvious solution.
As a general rule in life we are trained to always think in a certain way. It is instilled into us from a young age through school and later on at university. I have said before some of the most successful people I know in this industry didn’t go to university. I don’t think it is a coincidence. They are clearly highly intelligent individuals. They are all hard workers. Maybe the whole education process wasn’t for them though. I constantly see highly educated people struggle to evaluate what on the surface seems like fairly simple situations. Their brains just work very differently.
This is essentially a game where if you follow the masses or crowds then it is incredibly difficult to make it pay. You are having to constantly take contrarian positions on all manner of events. You have to think differently. You are also having to be incredibly practical. Its not just about a mathematical theory in a book that should work on paper. The reality is often very different and the ability to adapt on the fly can be the difference maker. Continually dealing with and analysing new information. A text book can’t tell you how to cope with variance in the real world. Just that it exists.
Ultimately, this is a game of mathematics. How you arrive at those all important numbers and are then able to take advantage of them can vary hugely and provides plentiful opportunities. So many of the skills and attributes that serve a pro punter really well, actually also work really well in real life. Identifying and solving problems in a practical and timely manner.
ProPunting 