Poker is a mind game that tests many of your analytical, mathematical and interpersonal skills. But aside from pushing your critical thinking to the limit, poker also teaches valuable life lessons that you can apply in other areas of your life.
1. Teaches you to make decisions with incomplete information
Making a decision under uncertainty is something that all of us face throughout our lives and poker can be one of the best ways to learn how to do this. In poker, you will always have to decide without knowing the full facts of the situation. In order to do this, you have to be able to estimate the probabilities of different scenarios and then choose your action accordingly.
2. Improves your observation skills
Poker requires a lot of observation. You will need to watch other players for tells, body language, and other small things that can make a big difference in the outcome of a hand. This skill is transferable to other areas of your life, as it will help you better understand people and their motivations.
3. Teaches you to control your emotions
Poker can be a very stressful game and it is important for players to maintain a level head under pressure. If you let your emotions get out of control then you could lose more than you can afford and this can have negative consequences on your life in the long run. Poker teaches players how to keep their emotions in check and control their anger, fear and stress.