Why Do You Play (In)finite Game?

Recently I stumbled upon the concept of finite and infinite games. I found it to be a good tool to reason about things in business and in general. Basically, all the mentions I've seen based on these two interconnected books:

• Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse
• The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

Let me provide definitions that are focused on things I found the most important for my current thoughts:

Finite game has concrete conditions for winning. There is a moment in time when the game ends and there is a winner. For example, if your goal is to make a product, win your market and then sell it to some big megacorp - it's a finite game. If your goal is to survive until the next investment round - it is also closer to a finite game, especially if not getting investments means death of your company.

One important thing about finite games:

there is no point in actions that will pay off after the game is over.

Infinite game is about continuing the play. It's ok to lose today, not being the best in the market, not being the most profitable while you can continue pursuing your vision. It's ok to invest in things that will pay off in the long run, even after your death.

Such approach is harder to formalize because it cannot be reduced to explicit rules and conditions. But our life also cannot be reduced to explicit rules and conditions, but it's the most precious thing we have.

I feel that I have to highlight that infinite games are not about "doing only things that will pay off in the long run". It's about balance.

Very Subjective Reflection

Reflecting on this topic and my behavioral patterns I realized that those 2 types of games are correlated with different internal drivers:

Finite games are more about power, fame and control. More about "fast dopamine" than "slow dopamine". And the older I get, the more silly all those things look to me. Don't get me wrong, I still want to be successful, have some power, and have high level of control over my life. I still have naive dreams of becoming famous engineer and being recognized for my work. But more and more they become not goals, but means to achieve something more meaningful.

Infinite games based on something deeper. Desire to create something that will outlive me ("an immortality project"). Desire to express myself. Desire to feel alive. Desire to be proud of what I do. Desire to impact the world in a positive way. Desire to be a hero.

That's why I hate sometimes when I am forced to spend most of my energy on finite games.

"Finite-Infinite" Conflicts

As an engineer I was accused of overengineering more than one time (if you don't - I don't believe you're an engineer). Many times it was true, I admit it. But often it was not about overengineering, it was about different games we play.

Let me provide some made up example. Your manager wants promotion and expects exemplary behaviour from you, when you taking risk to implement a feature in an unusual way that can help the business prosper. Well, you will lose a lot of nerves not understanding what's going on and why your manager rejecting your ideas. It can be hard to see that misunderstanding takes roots in different games you and your manager are playing: finite game of "getting promotion" is in conflict with infinite game of "creating something meaningful that will payoff in the long run or may even fail but still worth trying because it makes world a better place to live".

The problem is that both of you are right. Yep, the situations when both sides cannot agree, but both sides are right, are the most frustrating ones.

But why situations like I described are so close to "overengineering" and happen so often? It's because...

Infinite Games Became Luxury

I'm talking about IT in the first order.

As a startup you often cannot afford "infinite gameplay" because you need to survive and "win" the next round of investments. Life of "scale ups" is not much different. And a good share of big companies is not in much better position.

But Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft - they all have infinite games in their core. They want to continue playing. They buy ("eat") smaller companies not just to absorb them, but to not let them continue playing and become a threat in the future. The problem is that their desires are far from being humanistic. It feels almost comedic how they try to look like "heroes" when having most of the traits of "villains".

They don't want you to play infinite games.

That's why you surrounded by management who is more focused on "winning" than "playing". Not because they are bad people (only some percent of them), but because they are in a situation where they cannot afford for themselves and you to play infinite games.

A Spark of Hope

Just play your infinite game. Continue it. It has meaning. If it does not work - try different approach, but don't stop it.

If you stop it - not even the biggest bag of money will save you from depression and existential terror.

As Viktor Frankl said:

Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.