There are two types of hands in poker:

1. The hand you were dealt

2. The hand you wish you had

The difference between the two is that you will never (EVER) win with the hand you wish you had. 

It doesn’t exist. It’s nothing more than a figment of your imagination.

But if you play your cards right, you can ALWAYS win with the hand you were dealt. 

And that’s true even with a shitty hand. 

You see, winning doesn’t come from wanting better cards — it comes from making the most of the ones already in front of you, even if they’re not the cards you wanted.

The key is knowing when to press your advantage and when to protect your stack. 

Knowing when to play and when to fold. 

By playing, you run the risk of losing — but gain the opportunity of winning.

You accept that effort doesn’t guarantee success, only the possibility of it. And while you can’t control the cards that come next, you can control whether you’re still in the game when they arrive.

At that point, it’s the decisions you make — and how you frame them — that determine the outcome.

That means reading the table.

Adjusting your strategy.

Picking your spots.

Playing the odds. 

Understanding the risk.

Because that’s how bad hands survive. And that’s how good hands win.

Sometimes you’ll lose chips.

Sometimes the river won’t save you.

Sometimes someone else has a better hand. 

None of that is failure — it’s just the cost of staying in the game. 

Sure, you may lose a hand from time to time, but staying in the game — and trusting the cards you were dealt — is your only shot at winning. 

And if you have to fold — then fold. 

It’s not cowardice. It’s not weakness. It’s not fear. It’s not doubt. It’s not complacency. And it doesn’t mean you’re giving up on the game. 

It just means you’re moving on to the next hand. 

Living to see another day, if you will. 

And sometimes, that’s what it takes to win. Who knows — maybe the cards you were hoping for on the last hand are waiting for you on the next hand. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is…

In life, stop trying to win with the hand you wish you had. 

Either win with the hand you were dealt — or move on to the next hand.