Have a career safety net!
I didn’t get into poker until I had finished my degree and achieved higher status in my engineering career. Not out of choice, I just wasn’t introduced to it. I did play a lot of warhanmer and magic the gathering though (bit of a geek haha!)
I play about two hours of poker a night, but it is always classed as a hobby. I’ll give it my all, and try to one day make the World Series, but I’ll always work a 50 hour week to pay the bills/ mortgage.