--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is not always a matter of holding…" description: "\"Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/anonymous-1_bluffing_life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-g_2643193.jpg" --- # Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but… ![“Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/anonymous-1_bluffing_life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-g_2643193.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/anonymous-1_bluffing_life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-g_2643193.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/anonymous-1_bluffing_life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-g_2643193.jpg) > “Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life isn’t about the cards you’re dealt, but how skill play a poor hand. **In simple terms:** Play a poor hand well. Key Takeaway Make the best of limited resources. Themes strategy optimism adaptability Mood optimistic strategic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career challenges - personal setbacks - resource management Key Concepts game theory life philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve a weak situation? - What strategies help you play a poor hand? A Different Perspective Bad hands can be improved with skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bluffing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluffing/) [Cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cards/) [Cards Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cards-playing-589864/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Good Cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-cards-589865/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Making-do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-do-116466/) [Playing Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-poor-589863/) [Poker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poker/) [Poor Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-hand-589862/) ## Related quotes > [“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/life-is-not-a-matter-of-holding-good-cards-but-sometimes-playing-a/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/life-is-not-a-matter-of-holding-good-cards-but-of-playing-a-poor-hand/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing those cards you hold well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-consists-not-in-holding-good-cards-but-in-playing-those-cards/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes it's about playing a poor hand well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/sometimes-it-s-about-playing-a-poor-hand-well/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [The game of life is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-t-leslie/the-game-of-life-is-not-so-much-in-holding-a-good-hand-as-playing-a/) [H.T. Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-t-leslie/) > [Success in life comes not from holding a good hand, but in playing a poor hand well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/success-in-life-comes-not-from-holding-a-good-hand-but-in-playing-a/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/life-consists-not-in-holding-good-cards-but-in-playing-those-you-hold-2/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Life doesn't consist in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.. You just gotta live and learn..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-kolhoff/life-doesn-t-consist-in-holding-good-cards-but-in-playing-those-you/) [Carson Kolhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-kolhoff/) > [Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well. --Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/life-consists-not-in-holding-good-cards-but-in-playing-those-you-hold/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“At literary gatherings he made a practice of slipping away from “the gaunt and great, the famed for conversation” (as he called them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-literary-gatherings-he-made-a-practice-of-slipping-away-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lies and truth are sort of like a poker game. You don't want to show anyone your hand, and sometimes you have to bluff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lies-and-truth-are-sort-of-like-a-poker-game-you-don-t-want-to-show/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Well, we must all make do. Humans aren't born equal. Each of us must make the most of ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-crossley-holland/well-we-must-all-make-do-humans-aren-t-born-equal-each-of-us-must/) [Kevin Crossley-Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-crossley-holland/) > [“Two minutes worth of signal analysis told me all I needed to know. This station "talks" to the dark matter universe about what goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-tayler/two-minutes-worth-of-signal-analysis-told-me-all-i-needed-to-know/) [Howard Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-tayler/) > [“You’ll do,” Hemarchidas thought. “Isn’t this what we always end up with? What we truly want is unreachable, so we’ll make do with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/you-ll-do-hemarchidas-thought-isn-t-this-what-we-always-end-up-with/) [Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/) > [“That's how it was on Irving Circle and how I was raised: You made the best out of what was within reach, which meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elinor-lipman/that-s-how-it-was-on-irving-circle-and-how-i-was-raised-you-made-the/) [Elinor Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elinor-lipman/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Bluffing quotes > [Negotiating deals among members of Congress is an exercise in wearing masks, scaring up votes, and, oftentimes, bluffing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/negotiating-deals-among-members-of-congress-is-an-exercise-in-wearing/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [Although I have to say, it's become a lot harder for me since I won the world series because everyone wants to beat me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-moneymaker/although-i-have-to-say-it-s-become-a-lot-harder-for-me-since-i-won/) [Chris Moneymaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-moneymaker/) > [I'm not a good poker player, but I've got one bluffing technique - as long as you're quick with the blinds, you're fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-guillory/i-m-not-a-good-poker-player-but-i-ve-got-one-bluffing-technique-as/) [Sienna Guillory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-guillory/) > [The Americans are good about making fancy cars and refrigerators, but that doesn't mean they are any good at making aircraft. They are bluffing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/the-americans-are-good-about-making-fancy-cars-and-refrigerators-but/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [“Rule 1 for Mortals: Love the Lord your God (with every bit of you). Rule 2 for Mortals: Love your neighbor as yourself. Tip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/rule-1-for-mortals-love-the-lord-your-god-with-every-bit-of-you-rule/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [I'm a short, fairly plain person who's bluffing his case and getting away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-blunt/i-m-a-short-fairly-plain-person-who-s-bluffing-his-case-and-getting/) [James Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-blunt/) > [“You think I should use magick like mine to open a tomb?" Mari asked in a scoffing tone. Mistress of bluffing, working it here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/you-think-i-should-use-magick-like-mine-to-open-a-tomb-mari-asked-in/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I don't like uncertainty. I don't play poker. I don't like bluffing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-don-t-like-uncertainty-i-don-t-play-poker-i-don-t-like-bluffing/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Don’t assume I’m bluffing Nan. Because this time you’ve fucked with something I care about. This affects me, so listen and shut the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/don-t-assume-i-m-bluffing-nan-because-this-time-you-ve-fucked-with/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [Lies and truth are sort of like a poker game. You don't want to show anyone your hand, and sometimes you have to bluff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lies-and-truth-are-sort-of-like-a-poker-game-you-don-t-want-to-show/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Was that a sly smile of the initiate, or a dumb smile of bluffing?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-silverberg/was-that-a-sly-smile-of-the-initiate-or-a-dumb-smile-of-bluffing/) [Robert Silverberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-silverberg/) > [“At literary gatherings he made a practice of slipping away from “the gaunt and great, the famed for conversation” (as he called them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-literary-gatherings-he-made-a-practice-of-slipping-away-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Those who can really do what they promise don't first pause to promise what they can do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-willingham/those-who-can-really-do-what-they-promise-don-t-first-pause-to/) [Bill Willingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-willingham/) > [“RULES OF LYING: 1. Figure out your lie before you open your mouth. 2. Play on your opponent's sympathies and weaknesses 3. Dance around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-walker/rules-of-lying-1-figure-out-your-lie-before-you-open-your-mouth-2/) [Kristin Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-walker/) > [I learned that the people who have the cards are usually the ones who talk the least and the softest; those who are bluffing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-learned-that-the-people-who-have-the-cards-are-usually-the-ones-who/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) [Browse all 38 Bluffing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluffing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-good-cards-but-sometimes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bluffing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-good-cards-but-sometimes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/anonymous-1_bluffing_life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-g_2643193.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/anonymous-1_bluffing_life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-g_2643193.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/anonymous-1_bluffing_life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-g_2643193.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life is not always a matter...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-good-cards-but-sometimes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-always-a-matter-of-holding-good-cards-but-sometimes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```