The Infinite Game

by Simon Sinek

When we lead with a finite mindset in an infinite game, it leads to all kinds of problems, the most common of which include the decline of trust, cooperation and innovation. Leading with an infinite mindset in an infinite game, in contrast, really does move us in a better direction. Groups that adopt an infinite mindset enjoy vastly higher levels of trust, cooperation and innovation and all the subsequent benefits.

Whenever I see a company claim that it is number one or the best, I always like to look at the fine print to see how they cherry-picked the metrics.

To one company, being number one may be based on the number of customers they serve. To another, it could be about revenues, stock performance, the number of employees or the number of offices they have around the globe. The companies making the claims even get to decide the time frames in which they are making their calculations.

succeed in the Infinite Game of business, we have to stop thinking about who wins or who’s the best and start thinking about how to build organizations that are strong enough and healthy enough to stay in the game for many generations to come.

The true value of an organization is measured by the desire others have to contribute to that organization’s ability to keep succeeding, not just during the time they are there, but well beyond their own tenure.

sell to people, the infinite-minded player makes products that people want to buy. The former is primarily focused on how the sale of those products benefits the company; the latter is primarily focused on how the products benefit those who buy them.

A finite-focused company may come up with “innovative” ways to boost the bottom line, but those decisions don’t usually benefit the organization, the employees, the customers and the community—those who exist beyond the bottom line.

company built for resilience is a company that is structured to last forever. This is different from a company built for stability. Stability, by its very definition, is about remaining the same.

Resilient companies may come out the other end of upheaval entirely different than they were when they went in (and are often grateful for the transformation).

They weren’t thinking about what possibilities the future might hold. It was just a competition for market share and money—one

There are three factors we must always consider when deciding how we want to lead:

We are more likely to survive and thrive if we play for the game we are in.

Any leader who wants to adopt an infinite mindset must follow five essential practices:

Likewise, there is a benefit to following some of the practices required for infinite thinking.

It is to be expected that we will stray from the path. We are human and we are fallible.