Everyone should learn to play the game of poker. It’s strategic, calculated, a great networking activity and a lot of fun.
In many ways, you’ve been playing poker your entire life even if you’ve never shuffled a deck of cards.
The game is about making the best of the hand you are dealt, reading other people, knowing when to be assertive, managing money, dealing with a bully, taking risks—and as they say at the poker table, knowing when to go all-in and knowing when to get out.
The same traits that make you a good poker player make you good in business.
It’s more than just a card game; it’s a metaphor for life. Over 50 million people enjoy the game. It is played by presidents, celebrities, Supreme Court judges, reality stars, gangsters and grandmothers. Poker is an equal opportunity “sport,” which has no regard for socio-economic class, gender, corporate hierarchy, education or physical capabilities.
The game is more about personalities than it is about the cards.
One of the most interesting things about poker, much like life, is how different personality types play the game; while some play to win, others simply play not to lose. Playing to win is riskier, but risk is a necessary component of success in cards and life.
I began PokerDivas to show women how they could use poker both for networking and as a tool to develop their business skills. But as the company grew, we discovered everyone was looking to develop those same skills.
You have been playing poker your whole life without realizing it. But now that you know, you can learn to play better and reach higher.
For more information about PokerDivas programs, us here.
Adapted from an article published in Parade.
Updated August 3rd 2024
