Power
When you're sitting there looking down at your nut flush draw and silently praying that the dealer will be kind enough to peel off just one more club on the river, you'll realize how truly powerless you are in this game. Make no mistake, this is a skill game; but there's more luck at play here than some people will give credit for.
Of course there is—why do you think casinos are so eager to get in on the action? They're not exactly in the money-giving business. It's all about making as many good decisions and well-timed bluffs as you can. Then you just have to let the chips fall where they may.
If you're somehow able to make a living doing it, then there's a certain power you'll feel at not working the normal nine-to-five. You can make your own schedule, dress however you want to (to a certain extent), and the only boss you have to report to is the pit boss to tell him how much he owes you.
If you reach the upper echelons and achieve rock star status as an elite player, you'll also have the power to travel around the world on the professional poker circuits; the power to live comfortably on your earnings; and—perhaps most importantly—the power to intimidate complete strangers at the poker table simply because they recognize your face.