The Hand You’re Dealt

“Thinking in bets starts with recognizing that there are exactly two things that determine how our lives turn out: the quality of our decisions and luck. Learning to recognize the difference between the two is what thinking in bets is all about.” -Annie Duke

“Failure is an opportunity. If you blame someone else, there is no end to the blame. Therefore the Master fulfills her own obligations and corrects her own mistakes. She does what she needs to do and demands nothing of others.” –Tao Te Ching by Lao-Tzu (Stephen Mitchell Translation)

“In the archer there is a resemblance to the mature person. When he misses the mark, he turns and seeks the reason for his failure in himself.” -Confucius

Just like life as in poker…

You can’t control the hand you’re dealt.

You can only only control how you play the hand.  The decisions you make from there determine the quality of your outcomes.

Wondering “why did this happen to me?” is only helpful as a learning exercise.

Did your habits let you down? Okay, correct them for the future.

Or was it dumb luck? Often that’s the case and the right play is to fold. Move on. Next hand.

P.S. – “Don’t you worry son. It will all be over soon.” This scene.