Poker is all about betting on yourself. Yes, in an isolated instance of a single hand, you’re navigating the cards you’re dealt, but across a lifetime of playing poker, you’re betting that you’ve got the skills to win. Betting on yourself gives you autonomy over the results you want and grows your confidence when you succeed.
Here’s how to bet big on yourself in any area of your life.
Outline your goals
Any bet has defined parameters. For Timex’s recent free throw bet, these parameters were to make 90/100 free throws by the end of 2020 without help collecting rebounds. To bet on yourself, you’ll want to specify the criteria of what constitutes a win.
Many goals are related to career, finances, relationships, or health. If you can’t think of what to work toward, consider your satisfaction in those four domains. Famously, the Staples brothers won $150,000 by arriving at the same weight in just one year. One brother had weighed 304, while the other was 134 pounds. The new 188-pound brothers each felt much healthier at their new weights and were immensely proud of their results in this major wager.
While you probably will not be literally betting money against another person, undertaking an audacious challenge is very much a bet with yourself. You can think of the valuable time you spend working on your goals as chips you’re wagering. For higher stakes and further accountability, publicizing your goals to friends and family will put social currency on the line.
You can also use prop bets as a commitment device. One idea is to give a friend $100 and tell them “if I don’t finish three books by the end of the month, you can donate this to your favorite charity.” Once you have time constraints, measurable goals, and some type of meaningful stakes for yourself, it’s time to book that bet!
Tools at your disposal
You’ve placed a bet on yourself, now how do you approach winning that bet? While each bet has a unique path to victory, here are a few resources that can be universally beneficial.
Education
Most tasks will require some type of learning. Even something as instinctive as running a marathon becomes demonstrably easier when you learn pacing or proper technique. We’re living in a generation of information availability; Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Khan Academy, Reddit, and even Discord are treasure troves to learn nearly anything you could imagine. If you’re seeking great information on all things poker, look no further than our free classes.
Tracking results
The journey to achieving the unlikely is rarely linear. You might try a host of strategies or progress in irregular spurts. To maximize efficiency and to maintain your motivation, tracking your results will be a lifesaver.
For example, you could bet a friend that you can achieve a certain score on a test or entrance exam and use an error log to isolate weaknesses and skip strengths to maximize your study time.
Accessing expert mentors
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself,” Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying.
For most any goal, someone has done it before. Humans are naturally altruistic when it comes to sharing what they’re great at. Utilize the knowledge of someone who has conquered your bet before.
A great way to find mentors is to look up interviews related to your goal, then reach out to the interviewees on LinkedIn. You can also ask friends or colleagues if they know anyone who excels at your goal. An introduction through a mutual friend will lionize your target mentor and butter them up to coach you through your bet.
Any bet on yourself is a bet worth making
If there’s a sure thing to go all-in on, it’s yourself. You know exactly how capable you are, how quickly you learn, and how dedicated you will be. In a world that regularly underestimates women, you have to make your own opportunities and have faith in yourself.
Poker Power strives to unlock the potential of the women we serve by building life skills through the game of poker. We welcome players of any ability (including total beginners) to learn in a fun environment of their peers. If you want make the difference in the next generation of women leaders, learn more about the power of poker at our free lessons.
