After looking at my own play for a while now I think I have the basic strategy and discipline of the game down, and am making a tidy little profit in my niche. I think I'd be making a hell of a lot more money if I weren't doing things like this:

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $.50 BB (9 handed) from (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP2 ($28.65)
Hero ($55.60)
CO ($66.35)
Button ($47.60)
SB ($33.10)
BB ($50)
UTG ($49.95)
UTG+1 ($38.45)
MP1 ($75.10)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Q, T.
4 folds, Hero calls $0.50, 2 folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($1.50) 3, Q, T (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $1.5, SB folds, BB calls $1.50.

Turn: ($4.50) K (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $4.5, BB calls $4.50.

River: ($13.50) 9 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $13.5, ,

Looks like the converter got messed up or something. The end is he re-raises all-in and I call into a straight losing 30 bucks I shouldn't have.

So looking at this hand in retrospect, what went wrong? Well, I actually liked my PF raise since the next to spots were tight, so I don't think its a general discipline problem. I was just trying to get blinds.

However that guy on the end was an unknown at the table. So what broke in my head on the river? ignoring the pot size bet which was pretty bad I think, but not atrocious, why did I call? He has a cool name, but I dont go around handing out 30$ to people with cool names on the street? I knew for a fact I was beat.

Does anyone else out there battle issues like these? I had no delusions at this point that I might have the best hand. I still can't say what made me click the all-in button. Is there anyone out there who can give me advice on how not to do this? I don't do it often, but 40 bucks pretty wipes out 3 hours of work for me. Anyone have some kind of meditation or something they do?

check the river imo. he's probably not gonna pay you off w/ anything you beat and he might bluff you off.

as for the river check raise.. well river check raises are almost never bluffs.

I'm more concerned with advice how to keep myself from making stupid mistakes like these rather than the actual play of the hand. I posted this hand in particular because it demonstrates a poor decision. If I could identify the motive for the call or find some way to avoid it I'm sure I could save a bundle.

you can avoid the call by fixing the first mistake, which is betting the river. you can't compound it if you avoid the situation entirely.

as for a way to make yourself not hit the call button when you're beat. well, it just takes great focus and balls. not sure what else to tell you. maybe put a sign on your monitor that says "STOP MAKING DUMB CALLS" or something like that.

I think I'm going to tape a 50 dollar bill to the monitor with suggested sign.

Best mental tip I can give is to take your time with all your decisions. Don't just let the hand thats clicking the mouse do the decision making. Take a second and verbalize your thought process, come up with the best decision you can and go ahead and do it. Then whatever happens, happens - don't sweat it you made the best decision you could have.