From the poker table to personal growth: Lessons in strategy and self-development

I recently sat down and played poker for the first time in years. It was a sit down game, $50 buy-in and no surprise I ended up being the first out, but it got me thinking about how poker is a a gold-mine of learning self-development as it combines strategy, probability, people reading, confidence and risk taking to name a few.

Intricacies of simplicity

Poker is a relatively simple game on the surface but it’s the combination of the intricate sub-factors listed above that brew below the simple mechanics that truly make the game special.

Take bluffing for example; a big part of success in poker. Learning how to read your opponent, acknowledging their actions and reactions to what’s unfolding on the table is very telling as to how that person may be in a business negotiation for example.

Risk tolerance and confidence also come to mind as very interesting aspects of playing poker. I found myself a relatively conservative player, particularly after a few losing hands. This is interesting to me as typically I have a high risk tolerance.

You vs you

Although in poker you are obviously playing against the others on the table, there’s also a strong element of playing…