Playing the Hand We're Dealt: Finding Confidence in the Unknown
Of all the things I expected to bring home from a financial services conference, poker lessons weren't exactly at the top of my list!
Last Week, I attended my second Women + Wealth Summit in Austin, Texas, alongside my colleague and friend, Jaye Kendzior. These gatherings are always a wonderful opportunity to connect with inspiring women, share experiences, and return home with fresh perspectives and a renewed appreciation for the work we do.
One of this year's speakers, Jenny Just, shared a particularly memorable message about confidence, decision-making, and risk.
Jenny is a self-made billionaire and co-founder of PEAK6, but what fascinated me most was her work with Poker Power, an organization she founded with her daughter to help women develop confidence and strategic thinking through the game of poker.
Following Jenny's presentation, Poker Power instructors joined us for happy hour, where tables were set up for us to put these lessons into practice. My instructor was Salima, an Austin native who is a pharmacist and lawyer by day and a poker instructor by night!
The former educator in me loved that we weren't just talking about confidence and decision-making. We were learning by doing ... As the evening went on, I found myself thinking less about the cards and more about how much this experience reflected the decisions we make in everyday life.
Lessons Beyond the Poker Table
The beauty of Jenny's message is that you don't need to know anything about poker to appreciate these lessons.
1. We won't always have all the answers.
Whether we're preparing for retirement, making a big move, or navigating a family transition, there will always be unknowns. We can gather information, ask thoughtful questions, and plan carefully, but waiting for complete certainty may mean missing meaningful opportunities.
2. Focus on what you can control.
In poker, you can't choose the cards you're dealt or predict what comes next. But you can control how you respond. Life isn't all that different. We can't control the markets, the economy, or every unexpected turn. What we can control is how we prepare, evaluate our options, and adjust along the way.
3. Confidence comes from practice, not perfection.
This was my favorite takeaway. We often think confidence comes from knowing exactly what to do. But what if it's something we build along the way? Each thoughtful decision, even one that doesn't turn out as planned, gives us an opportunity to learn and grow.
Playing the Long Game
The more I reflect on the experience, the more I realize how closely these lessons connect to the conversations we have with clients at Woodward.
We often talk about helping people get the most LIFE out of their money. And while financial planning involves numbers, projections, and strategies, so much of it is really about helping people navigate life's decisions with greater clarity and confidence.
A thoughtful financial plan can't eliminate uncertainty, but it can help us focus on what we can control, prepare for what we can't, and make decisions that reflect what matters most to us.
I left Austin grateful for the connections, the lessons, and a happy hour that turned out to be about much more than a game of cards. And while I may not be heading to a poker tournament anytime soon, I'll certainly carry this reminder with me:
We can't always control the cards we're dealt, but we can be thoughtful and intentional about how we play our hand.
If you’re navigating uncertainty or simply want to talk through what’s next, your team at Woodward is always here to listen, offer perspective, and help you move forward with confidence.