The most powerful word in the gambler’s vocabulary is not "All in." It is "Check."
You can’t bluff forever. At some point, you need the actual cards. Do you have a plan? Do you have assets? Do you have leverage? Or are you just hoping? Hope is not a strategy. It’s a donation to the casino.
If you feel stuck, ask yourself these three questions. If you answer "yes" to any of them, it’s time to walk away.
"You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run."
When you fold a bad hand in poker, you don't lose your stack. You lose the blinds —the small mandatory bet you had to put in to sit at the table. You lose a little bit to save a lot.
Sometimes the house is cheating. Sometimes you are just exhausted and need to sleep, not gamble. Know the difference. If the system is broken, run. If you are broken, walk away, rest, and come back.
We’ve all heard Kenny Rogers’ iconic chorus: