Poker is a game that has many ups and downs. You will feel like a champion sometimes and despair over your terrible luck at other times. What will keep you going over the long term is a good strategy and a love for the game. In order to learn good poker strategy you need to be able to observe your opponents. This means looking for tells and other body language clues. It is also important to understand basic poker math and how pot odds work.
It is also a good idea to play at the tables that suit your skills and abilities. There are many different poker formats and it is important to find one that fits you. If you try to play in a format that is too hard, it will be very difficult to win and you will probably lose money over time. If you are a beginner, it is best to start in an EP table and only open your hand with strong cards pre-flop.
A big mistake that beginners make is calling too much for their draws. This is a huge waste of your chips and you will eventually go broke if you continue to do this. You should only call when your hand odds are better than the pot odds and raise with your draws to force weaker opponents to fold.
Another thing that beginners need to learn is not getting too attached to their hands. If you have pocket kings and the board shows tons of flush and straight cards, it is best to fold because it will be difficult to get paid off.