The original question used the word "hardcore". You want "hardcore"? I'll give you "hardcore".
Take your career very seriously. Among the people I tabletop game with we have a running joke. Anytime anyone talks about "serious" gaming we propose that if my dice kill one of your figures on the table, I get to smash it with a Hammer. Figs cost money and a lot of effort goes into painting them, so this is a challenge that nobody ever accepts.
So, if you want hardcore, try this: The next time you die and lose a career, put the game away and don't touch it for a year. Or a month, if you prefer.
