In poker, as in life, you need to weigh up your chances. There is always a risk associated with any attempt to make money, but if you take the right risks (and bluff when necessary) then you can get much closer to breaking even than you might think. There are plenty of little adjustments that beginner players can make that will allow them to improve their profitability at the table – it often just takes switching to viewing poker in a colder, more detached and mathematical way.
Generally, you should play all of your strong hands aggressively in order to maximise the amount of money you win. Playing them cautiously or only raising when you have a very strong hand will send signals to your opponents that you are holding a weak one. This will encourage them to bluff more against you and will result in you missing out on opportunities where a modest level of risk could yield a big reward.
You should also try to learn to read your opponents and look for tells. This doesn’t just mean looking for nervous habits like fiddling with chips or a ring, but it also means being able to interpret the way that someone plays when they are in a position to act. A player that has been calling all night but then suddenly raises is likely to have a very strong hand, and a beginner player needs to be able to pick up on these signals in order to succeed at poker.