Seeking Balance

Jared Alderman

Welcome to Seeking Balance, a podcast that delves into the art and science of performance in poker—and life. Hosted by Jared Alderman, a seasoned performance coach with a unique blend of experiences, this show explores what it truly means to succeed. Drawing from years as a Navy EOD tech, professional poker player, and now a mindset and lifestyle coach, Jared brings a depth of understanding to high-pressure situations and the mental game behind peak performance. With an extensive background in meditation, Jared takes listeners beyond typical strategies to explore how inner well-being and mindset fuel real achievement. Each episode offers insights into the soft skills that separate good players from great ones, uncovering the hidden edges found in emotional regulation, healthy habits, and peak performance strategies. With a focus on balancing achievement and personal well-being, we’ll challenge conventional definitions of success and look at how to thrive both at the table and beyond it. Join us for candid conversations with poker pros, industry leaders, and performance experts as we explore how to cultivate the habits, mindsets, and skills that lead to real, lasting success. Whether you're chasing poker greatness or looking to level up in your life, Seeking Balance is your guide to mastering the game within the game.

  1. Oct 23

    "Poker Doesn't Work Without Exploits" - Uri Peleg

    Check Out The Seeking Balance App! https://jaredalderman.com/app Learn More About The Coaching Group: https://www.jaredalderman.com Upswing Lab 2.0 A structured No Limit Hold'em membership led by Uri! https://upswingpoker.com/the-poker-lab-coaching/ Poker Blueprint A simplified, five-principle approach for low-stakes cash and tournament players! https://upswingpoker.com/poker-blueprint/ Elite Cash Game Exploits, Learn to adjust to opponents' tendencies with practical preflop and post flop exploits. https://upswingpoker.com/elite-cash-game-exploits/ Guerrilla Poker Coaching: Application-based, small-group coaching. Structured sessions, hand reviews and a private community provide ongoing guidance. This is a coaching program, not a standalone self-study course (more high-end price). https://guerrilla-poker.com/ 👉 If you found this episode valuable, don't forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to the newsletter at https://www.jaredalderman.com/ for more deep dives into poker, performance, and personal growth! 🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. Timestamps: 00:00:00 — Intro 00:00:57 — Maximizing Hidden Information & RNG-ing Bet Sizes 00:03:48 — Why the Poker Game Tree Is Too Huge to Memorize 00:08:17 — The "Invisible Chessboard" Analogy: GTO vs. Exploits 00:11:24 — Why Uri Doesn't Use RNG (The Myth of Balance) 00:14:12 — Decision Fatigue & Picking High-Impact Spots to Deviate 00:20:47 — Why Exploiting Low-Conviction Reads Costs Zero EV 00:24:07 — Flexing Pre-Flop Ranges from 8% to 28% 00:30:57 — The GTO Wizard Trap: Losing Sight of Basic Equity 00:35:35 — ICM Asymmetry & Multi-Way Table Ecosystems 00:42:27 — Ruse AI "Quantum Response" & Exploring Off-Tree Plays00:49:52 — Exploiting Weak Checks & Creating a Safe Learning Environment 01:02:32 — "How Much Is My Hand Worth?" (Understanding Weird Solver Raises) 01:10:42 — Pop Quiz: Finding 3-Bet Bluffs on K-8-3 Rainbow 01:18:17 — How Stefan11222 Put High-Stakes Pros in the Blender 01:23:32 — Beating NL2 to NL200 Playing Like a Simple Algorithm 01:29:02 — Why Medium-Strength Hands Always Get Screwed 01:36:37 — Punishing Face-Up Range Spliting & Cultural Table Norms 01:44:27 — Solver Kids vs. "Squid Game" Street Poker Environments 01:50:07 — Upswing Lab 2.0, Guerrilla Poker & Outro Contact Uri: 🌐 Website: https://guerrilla-poker.com/ 📸 Instagram: @uri_peleg_poker 🐦X: @UriPelegPoker ▶️YouTube: GuerrillaPoker Host: Jared Alderman Performance Coach 🌐 Website: https://www.jaredalderman.com/ 📸 Instagram: @jared.alderman 🐦 X: @the_jaldermann

  2. Oct 9

    What Does It Take To Make A Top Pro Leave Poker?

    This week on Seeking Balance, High-stakes crusher Sam Greenwood joins the show to discuss stepping away from playing poker, navigating fatherhood, and re-evaluating the true cost of the grind. Sam and Jared get into a dense strategy discussion, exposing why treating solvers like textbook answer keys holds players back and why the poker world needs to stop viewing top pros as mistake-free robots, and more! Check Out The Seeking Balance App! https://jaredalderman.com/app Punt Of The Day Discount - 33% Off One Year! https://www.puntoftheday.com/balance Sam's Run It Once Videos! https://www.runitonce.com/elite-poker-training/ Learn More About The Coaching Group: https://www.jaredalderman.com 👉 If you found this episode valuable, don't forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to the newsletter at https://www.jaredalderman.com/ for more deep dives into poker, performance, and personal growth! 🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:42 - Why Sam Stepped Away From Poker 09:30 - Finding Intense Competition as an Adult 14:45 - The Myth of Multitasking 16:15 - How Becoming a Father Changed the Poker Equation 21:55 - De-Roboting High-Stakes Pros: Why Everyone Makes Mistakes 29:20 - The Solver Illusion Hindering Most Players 33:30 - The Gap Between Theory Knowledge & Live Execution 35:30 - Micro vs. Macro Details in Poker Strategy 42:50 - Does Aggression Truly Show Agency? 47:00 - When Doing Nothing Is the Strongest Play 53:45 - How Sam Evaluates Mistakes & Punt of the Day Hands 57:45 - Deep-Stack Hand Breakdown: Turn Leads & River Jams 01:09:00 - Internet Culture, Tribalism & Calling People NPCs 01:16:00 - Punt of the Day: Honor or Insult? Contact Sam: 🌐 Website: https://www.puntoftheday.com/subscribe 🐦X: @SamGreenwoodRIO Host: Jared Alderman Performance Coach 🌐 Website: https://www.jaredalderman.com/ 📸 Instagram: @jared.alderman 🐦 X: @the_jaldermann

  3. Sep 25

    Do You Have What it Takes to Be a Poker Pro?

    In this episode of Seeking Balance, high-stakes regular Nick unpacks the turbulent reality of climbing the poker ranks. From grinding micro-stakes to facing massive downswings at $40KNL, Nick explains why surviving at the top demands a psychological resilience most people simply don't possess. We also dive deep into high-level strategy, covering the dangers of misusing HUD stats, how to exploit live private games, and a fascinating debate on whether players should prioritize perfect frequency stats or precise combo selection when making critical river decisions. Check Out The Seeking Balance App!https://jaredalderman.com/app Learn More About The Coaching Group:https://www.jaredalderman.com 👉 If you found this episode valuable, don't forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to the newsletter at https://www.jaredalderman.com/ for more deep dives into poker, performance, and personal growth! 🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro 00:55 — Nick’s Poker Origins 05:41 — Building a Bankroll & Sky Stakes Variance 09:37 — The Grind: Burnout & Volume 14:09 — Work Ethic and Emotional Toughness in Poker 22:31 — Solvers, Exploits, and Fact-Checking Plays 27:50 — The Danger of Misusing HUD Stats 29:59 — Live Hand Breakdown: Ace-Eight Suited 36:57 — Live Poker Reads vs. Theory: Why Pot Odds Matter 46:00 — Exploiting Live Pools & Cultural Poker Trends 54:11 — Targeting the Top vs. Bottom of Ranges 56:48 — Common Study Mistakes & Database Reviews 01:07:52 — The Dichotomy of Stats vs. Combo Selection 01:16:20 — Advanced Solver Mechanics & MDF 01:19:43 — Outro Contact Nick: 🐦X: @slumdiggitydude Host: Jared Alderman Performance Coach 🌐 Website: https://www.jaredalderman.com/ 📸 Instagram: @jared.alderman 🐦 X: @the_jaldermann

  4. Aug 17

    "Job's Not Finished" - How Lucas Jumalon Won the 2026 WSOP Main Event

    This week on Seeking Balance, Jared sits down with 2026 WSOP Main Event Champion Lucas Jumalon fresh off his historic $10,000,000 victory! In this episode, Lucas opens up about the brutal downswing leading up to the series, the pivotal phone call with his dad that kept him in the tournament, and the "if we die, we die" mindset that carried him through a field of thousands. They also break down his 11-day final table prep with Patrick "Pads" Leonard, the psychology behind his "job's not finished" approach, and what he hopes to achieve in poker. Check Out The Seeking Balance App! https://jaredalderman.com/app Learn More About The Coaching Group: https://www.jaredalderman.com 👉 If you found this episode valuable, don't forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe to the newsletter at https://www.jaredalderman.com/ for more deep dives into poker, performance, and personal growth! 🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:04 - Welcoming WSOP Champion Lucas03:50 - Grinding from Age 12 to College07:07 - Overcoming Heartbreak: "If We Die, We Die"08:14 - Rock Bottom in Austin & The Pivotal Call with His Dad12:30 - Manifestation, Mindset & Day 114:12 - The Day 3 Cold 4-Bet: "This Is My Tournament"21:01 - Psychological Priming & Finding the Zone22:11 - Day 7 Crisis & The 2-Hour Reset28:44 - Sudden Fame & Handling Life-Changing Money32:20 - Why His Dad Is His Rock36:47 - 11 Days with Patrick Leonard: Solving the Final Table39:54 - "Job’s Not Finished": The Kobe Mindset43:14 - Proving It Wasn't a Fluke: Bigger Tournaments & Future Goals46:17 - Becoming the Next Poker Ambassador53:50 - Lightning Round Questions Find Lucas: 📸Instagram: lucasss.jumalone 🐦 X: @LukeJu22Host Jared Alderman Performance Coach 🌐 Website: https://www.jaredalderman.com/ 📸 Instagram: @jared.alderman 🐦 X: @jaredalderman

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to Seeking Balance, a podcast that delves into the art and science of performance in poker—and life. Hosted by Jared Alderman, a seasoned performance coach with a unique blend of experiences, this show explores what it truly means to succeed. Drawing from years as a Navy EOD tech, professional poker player, and now a mindset and lifestyle coach, Jared brings a depth of understanding to high-pressure situations and the mental game behind peak performance. With an extensive background in meditation, Jared takes listeners beyond typical strategies to explore how inner well-being and mindset fuel real achievement. Each episode offers insights into the soft skills that separate good players from great ones, uncovering the hidden edges found in emotional regulation, healthy habits, and peak performance strategies. With a focus on balancing achievement and personal well-being, we’ll challenge conventional definitions of success and look at how to thrive both at the table and beyond it. Join us for candid conversations with poker pros, industry leaders, and performance experts as we explore how to cultivate the habits, mindsets, and skills that lead to real, lasting success. Whether you're chasing poker greatness or looking to level up in your life, Seeking Balance is your guide to mastering the game within the game.

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