There are two types of games we play in life: Finite or infinite.
Finite games are those that have a clear winner or loser. Think of a sports game with clearly defined rules and measurements for scoring.
Infinite games are those with no winner or loser. The goal of these games is to continue playing. The rules and boundaries for these games can and do change over time.
This has become a guiding principle for my life because it's easy to fall into finite thinking. Whether in my job or with my content, it's easy to begin measuring with a finite ruler.
Instead, I aim to adopt an infinite mindset for all things I do. To play the long game, some may say. Rather than trying to win today or this year, I figure out how to keep playing and growing, realizing the timeline I'm playing on is infinite.
The original idea comes from James P. Carse's Finite and Infinite Games book. But I've heard it touched on by many other thinkers—We should play the game of life in a way that reflects an infinite timeline. Do the right thing, invest in the next generation, and leave the campground better than you found it. All these things hinge on having an infinite mindset.
To help further explore this, I want to visit an area I think about frequently: Health.
Many of us play a finite game with health: I want to lose 20 pounds by summer or run a marathon by the fall. There is a clear end goal, which isn't inherently wrong. But how does running 12 miles on a Saturday in preparation for your marathon help in the infinite game? Will you still be running in 12 years?
When you first filter things through an infinite game lens, you begin to aim higher and further. You can still run and train for a marathon in a way that allows you to continue running long after. You take the actions that will help you stay healthy (continue playing the game) for the longest time. The dopamine rush from "winning" (or striving to win) overrides the pleasure of playing the infinite game because many don't know better.
Another easy health example is fad diets. Sure, you could go a year without eating meat or doing the carnivore diet, but is that positioning your body to live until you are 100? Maybe. Or is it so that you can "accomplish your goal." A finite mindset at it's finest.
Let's detour to another example: Writing.
Since 2018, I've committed to writing online. I began with sharing my thoughts on LinkedIn and then evolved to writing a daily newsletter for almost two years. Then, I went back to LinkedIn posting. Since then, I've begun writing these long-form essays and have a weekly newsletter. The focus here is more on my goal for writing:
To develop and grow my thinking through sharing my thoughts online. But deeper than that, to allow my experiences and "wisdom" to transcend those who know me and can help others far into the future. There is no way to win that game. I'm merely looking at this as an infinite game, wanting to leave my ideas and thoughts for those who follow.
Some may argue this is pompous and egotistical (you'd be right). But I believe the inverse is more so: Writing to grow my audience to 1,000 subscribers. Sure, you'd gain similar benefits, but the intention is from a finite perspective (reaching that goal). So, do I not have goals?
I do. But if I only had finite goals, I wouldn't be writing this. I would have quit a long time as I've grown a small audience over a long period. The goal was never finite; it was always infinite.
And that's another built-in benefit of infinite thinking: You continue when others quit, allowing you to get returns others can't receive.
The easiest example is someone in their 20s to 40s who does heavy lifting. They looked incredible in their 30s and probably felt good winning "Strongman" competitions. But at 50, their body is destroyed, and they are unable to continue working out to reap any benefits. Contrast that with the person who ran, lifted, and did yoga at a lesser intensity. They continue doing that from 50 to 70 while you do nothing, enabling them to surpass you and significantly impact their health.
One played a finite game, while the other looked at life as an infinite game.
Let's look at the professional side of life to uncover a few other outcomes of the infinite mindset: