The Infinite Life — Episode 1
What does it mean to lead a life of purpose? I understand “to leave a legacy behind”; that happens when one is no more. But what does it mean to truly lead a life of purpose?
Why do some people do what they do and are fulfilled by it, even if they don’t appear “successful”? And many others, do the same thing, appear “successful”, but their personal life is miserable and they end up ruined in the long-run? Is it luck, genetics, or just fate?
The Two Games
It turns out that it’s all due to the way we play our games. In 1986, a philosopher by the name of James P. Carse proposed that there are two types of games — finite games and infinite games.
Finite games are games of known players, rigid rules, and a known beginning and end. The objective of a finite game is to win or lose e.g. Basketball.
On the other hand, an infinite game is, as you might have guessed, a game with known and unknown players, flexible rules, and an unclear beginning with no end; players drop out when they run out of will, strength, or resources.
The Missing Link
Imagine you’re a football player and you have a big match coming up. As you got to the venue of the game, instead of a football pitch, you found a basketball court. Basketball is an entirely different game from football! Regardless of your skill level in football, you would be totally clueless and constantly frustrated.
This same analogy explains why most of us do not find satisfaction in life even if we’re “following our passion.” We are playing a different game with an entirely different mindset.
The language and actions of many people show that we don’t know the kind of game their in.
We speak about “beating others”, “being number one”, “making more money than others,” etc. Thinking about these statements critically, we would realize that they are all finite minded.
We often view life as a finite game — a competition where we have to beat others to win; a game where everyone is an enemy that you’re trying to eliminate.
This toxic mindset drives a whole lot of people to go to the extreme in their actions. And, of course, the effects are evident — increased frustration, depression, and suicide rates.
Life is an infinite game. You can’t play basketball with a football mindset. Similarly, you can’t play an infinite game with a finite mindset.
What if you end up beating that person? What happens? There’s always another person to beat. And another. And another. Then your entire life is not more than rat races which will end you up in multiple life traps.
What if you end up making more money than her? There’s always someone else that’s richer and more prosperous than you are.
Again, life is an infinite game, you have to play with an infinite mindset. It’s more than just beating everyone else or kicking them out of the game.
In an infinite game, there is no competition, the only true competitor is yourself. The only person you’re trying to beat and surpass is the person you were yesterday.
Living life with a finite mindset makes you see life as a sprint where you have to do anything to win. Even if this “anything” means tripping another player.
But does that make you a fast runner? No. You’re still the same old slow runner.
The finite mindset is scattered all around us. Demands from parents, friends, and the whole society is constantly pushing us to be finite minded. This and many other reasons make it very hard for us to live with the infinite mindset.
Is it impossible to live with an infinite mindset? No its not!
What Is An Infinite Life?
An infinite life is a life that’s not deluded by the “WHATs” to be achieved; rather, it is directed by the “WHO” they want to become.
They place importance on the future outcome of their present actions over the short-term gains they may derive from them.
They place importance on the trajectory, the trend, of their lives rather than their present results; they place importance on the momentum with which they are moving over their speed of motion.
They place importance on their efforts rather than only the results. And they understand that a life worth living is a life where your existence truly counts.
Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Stephen Covey, Steve Jobs, and of course, Simon himself — and just about anyone that people point to and say “he made me who I am today” or “he gave me a reason to live” — are/were infinite minded individuals.
The true infinite player is the person whom others can point to and say “he made me who I am today” or “he’s a major contributor to my success”.
By “infinite minded”, you might be tricked to think I mean futuristic thinkers. Rather, these individuals are not just mere long-term thinkers, they embody some practices and characteristics (which we’ll get to know in later articles) that make them play the game with the right rules.
What About Spiritually?
The characteristic of an Infinite Life of not focusing on results, but efforts, is resounded in the Qur’an and Bible, further convincing me of its validity.
In no where in the scriptures would you find where God says people will be rewarded individuals for what they achieve.
You would consistently find “We are rewarding you for the actions you used to perform”. This concept is plainly stated in Q53;V39 that says “and there is nothing for man except the efforts he makes”.
Conclusion.
When I first started exploring Simon’s book after coming across a YouTube video of his presentation in a conference, I was intrigued by how much the idea coincides and resonates with already existing principles.
It just seemed to bring them all into one comprehensive chunk. I noticed that his ideas were very congruent to how every thriving individual lived their lives. They were all infinite thinkers!
Living an Infinite Life unlocks possibilities, it builds trust in relationships and facilitates fulfilment in life.
Join me as I explore Simon Sinek’s new book, the Infinite Game, to help us lead an Infinite Life. I am Al-ameen, and I inspire.
