Game Theory - Infinite Games Champions
How to play forever
What is infinite games and why is it important in life and business? James Carse wrote a book on finite and infinite games in 1986 as his reflection on game theory. Simon Sinek has also written a book on this subject recently. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play. James Carse has written a brilliant article on how you can be playing a finite game but focusing on the long infinite game of life: - how a group of friends can be highly competitive in a game of poker but enjoy each other's company enough to continue to play into infinity.
In the last week the world witnessed Fiji win the men's gold medal and women's bronze medal for Rugby 7s at the Olympic. This was after months of Fiji being wrecked by Covid and a lockdown that has now lasted 3 months. The Prime Minister of Fiji said after the Fijian men won that the gold medal win meant more than gold to Fijians and that the game has always united us.
This rings true to me. After the military coups of 1987, it was only after Fiji did really well in Hong Kong Rugby 7s tournaments, that everyone in Fiji came together, regardless of race. It was when we felt as one and that we had one collective future. And it is again rugby that has shown the people of Fiji the power of resilience and ability to come out the other side of the tunnel despite the adversities facing them.
While the Olympics rugby 7s male and female championships are over and finished with, and is most definitely a finite game, with set rules and a definition on who is the winner is, it is clear that both teams played for their country and were reflecting on the issues impacting the wider population after the game had finished. They had played with all heart as is shown in their singing after their win. They were playing for a wider purpose and for the social good of their country.
The Olympics itself was played for over a thousand years in ancient Greece and it is now continuing to be played as the modern Olympics every 4 years. The only times they were not played was because of the two world wars.
When I began writing this blog post, it was going to be about the men winning the gold. And then I watched the women's team (Fijiana) play the game of their lives in an electrifying semi-final against NZ. I was sold. They lost to NZ, but they won the bronze medal by defeating Great Britain in the bronze medal playoff. Once the finals were finished, the players from the medal winning countries intermixed in their group photos so that they were no longer country against country but friends helping one another. While Fijiana didn't win the ultimate prize, they won by inspiring the thousands of girls in the Pacific that they too can play on the same stage as their inspiring male counterparts who are lorded in their country. They also inspired a generation of women like me who never even imagined that this was possible. And this to me is the infinite game, inspiring the next generation, stirring everyone to challenge their thinking, motivating people to have another go and most of all showing that if someone from a tiny dot on the map can make a difference, so can all of us.
To paraphrase Simon Sinek, the infinite game is to have a goal that you know you may never get to, but the game is to try and improve continuously. The goal maybe equality or empowerment, but the goal is never achieved as there is a continuously moving target.
Why Am I Writing These Articles This is one of the articles I am writing in my series of articles on leadership and purpose. I am going to provide my insights from podcasts I listen to, books I read, introspections and musings. After a lot of introspection, I have realised that I love to mentor. I am hoping that this series provides you with some insights or food for thought.
My other articles will be on productivity hacks, working in a hybrid world and how to collaborate in times of asymmetry.
Who Am I? I am a technical writer, trainer, designer and analyst. I am an aspiring story teller. Please reach out to me on bhamini.runa@divergentone.com if you would like to utilise any of my skills.