Book Review: The Infinite Game

The Infinite Game is one of Simon Sinek's newest books. Sinek is probably best known for his 2014 TED Talk entitled "How great leaders inspire action" and his book on the same topic, Start With Why.

The Infinite Game starts out with a discussion on infinite games as compared to finite games. Finite games have a predefined set of rules that players are usually aware of when starting the game. Finite games have a finite start, finite milestones, and finite ends. An example would be a football game: it is made up of quarters, halves, a start, and an end. There is a defined goal (scoring points) and a set of rules governing how that goal is achieved. Once a finite milestone is met (in football, it is a time limit), there is a clear winner and a clear loser.

Infinite games are a totally different way of playing a game. Infinite games have no defined start and no defined end. The rules are an amalgamation of rules and the validity of rules can change by the hour, minute, or second. Infinite games are not winnable. The only way to win an infinite game is to continue playing it.

This concept reminded me of the notion of "The Game". The only way to lose The Game is to start thinking about the game. An infinite game is similar; the only way to lose is to stop playing.

An infinite game vs. a finite game, as Sinek describes it, seemed very similar in principle to a fixed versus growth mindset. A fixed mindset poses stringent limitations on the capabilities of the individual: you are only as good at X as you ever will be. An individual with a growth mindset, on the other hand, approaches each life situation with an open mind, ready to absorb new learnings.

While an infinite/finite game and a growth/fixed mindset aren't identical concepts, I do believe individuals who maintain predominantly growth mindsets are much more successful in playing infinite games. They aren't there to score points or to reach milestones. They are there to play the game. And if they happen to reach milestones along the way, it's merely cause for celebration. Growth-minded individuals may even set milestones or goals to achieve while playing their infinite game, but they by no means stake their self worth on achieving those milestones. They only use the milestones as an indicator of growth.

Another interesting concept from the book was that of 'being the best' or 'winning' or 'beating the competition'. These are phrases we have heard innumerable leaders of companies trumpet over the past decade. But to be the best, you need only position yourself such that you can keep playing in the game. If that is your goal, you can perpetually achieve it; but if you goal is to 'win' the game, you will never be satiated.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.