A person's life is very similar to Texas Hold'em poker.

The cards you get are often beyond your control—your background, environment, and luck are all written in your starting hand. But how you play them is up to you. Some people go all-in with bad cards and are quickly eliminated; others have average hands but rely on patience and discipline to stay at the table.

More importantly, you don't have to win every hand. Life isn't about who wins the most, but about who makes the fewest fatal mistakes. Knowing when to fold is often more important than knowing when to bet. Enduring the phases of inaction allows you to wait for the right moment to make your move.

In the long run, what determines how far you can go is never a few big bets, but whether you can keep sitting at the table.