It’s natural to want respect. In both our professional and personal lives, respect is something desired by the great majority of us. A few of us may profess to not caring what others think and actually mean it, but for the rest of us, it’s important to have earned the respect of family, friends, peers and co-workers. Respect is an end in and of itself. We take satisfaction in having earned that respect.
The need for respect is real and pervasive. We want to make a good impression and, for the most part, that’s a good thing. The desire to earn respect can propel us to perform at a high level. Yet, how relevant is it at the poker table?
Respect can be a very valuable tool at the poker table, but it is not an end in and of itself. In poker, the bottom line is to win. You should be playing to win and not for respect. This is an important distinction. Because we are so trained to strive for respect in every aspect of our life, that yearning becomes part of our DNA even if it’s to our financial detriment.
Certainly, respect at the table can be advantageous. If I have respect at the table, I can use that to my advantage to win. I’ll push others off of hands and make timely bluffs. Often, I will do things to cultivate respect so I can take advantage. However, I won’t be afraid to do things because I feel I may lose respect. That’s a sure fire way to lose.
