I finally got round to reading Finite and Infinite Games, a book that’s been on my reading list for several years.
Of the hundreds of non-fiction books I’ve read, this is probably the most esoteric and hard to read.
Derek Sivers described it as: “maybe the most abstract book you’ll ever read.”
That said, I’m glad I stuck with it. The core concept is a powerful one that applies to many aspects of life.
The book was published in 1986 by James P. Carse, a professor of religious studies. Some chapters feel dated and read awkwardly.
Here are some of my notes, along with the ideas and concepts I came away with.
There are two kinds of games: finite and infinite.
“A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.”
A finite game has fixed rules, boundaries, and an agreed ending. It is played for the purpose of winning. Think chess, a job interview, or an election.
An infinite game has no fixed rules or boundaries. The purpose is to continue playing the game. Think marriage or relationships, culture and society, or even gardening.
An infinite game can be broken down into a series of finite games.
My initial reaction was an affection for the infinite game. But James Carse doesn’t say infinite games are good and finite games are bad. (Although it’s not that easy to establish what Carse thinks. It’s written more like an academic book or religious scripture. There are no examples or stories or practical applications, which is a shame.)
As I understand it, finite games are fine and necessary. Sometimes you need boundaries, deadlines and clear outcomes. The problem isn’t playing finite games, it’s the lack of awareness that you’re playing a finite game.
Finite and infinite games aren’t opposites to choose between. The skill is holding both. Awarness allows you to be part of both games, as you need them.
“Finite players play within boundaries; infinite players play with boundaries.”
Finite games have rules. Follow the rules and you’re playing the game. While infinite players treat rules and boundaries as material to play with.
“To be playful is not to be trivial or frivolous, or to act as though nothing of consequence will happen. On the contrary, when we are playful with each other we relate as free persons, and the relationship is open to surprise; everything that happens is of consequence.”
I think the distinction between being playful and frivolous is a powerful one. Finite players are serious, looking for a specified conclusion. While infinite players are playful, allowing for possibility. Playfulness allows for optionality.
“Finite games can be played within an infinite game, but an infinite game cannot be played within a finite game.”
Infinite players regard their wins and losses in finite games as continuing play. You don’t “win” in a marriage (the goal is to stay married), just like you don’t “win” in business (the goal is to stay in business).
“To garden is not to engage in a hobby or an amusement; it is to design a culture capable of adjusting to the widest possible range of surprise in nature.”
I really liked how Carse used gardening as his primary example for infinite play. It’s the infinite game in its purest form: no finish line, just continued cultivation.
Below are a few ways of thinking through finite and infinite games as they apply to my work and life:
- Consulting. I’m often hired to help an organisation redesign their website. That’s the finite game: hit a deadline, stick to a budget, hit the project objectives. The infinite game is the relationships between teams, the internal politics, the ability for them to run the website after launch. The consultants job is to dance between both these finite and infinite games.
- Sales. Sales can be treated as a finite game: close the deal, hit your monthly targets. It’s transactional and zero-sum. The infinite sales game is about continuing the play: to develop relationships, to build trust, to offer value. It’s not so much about the sale as asking how can I help?
- Parenting. Another situation that includes both finite and infinite games. The finite game of getting them ready in the morning for nursery. Or the infinite game of trying to create the environment and conditions for them to flourish.
- Learning. Carse himself uses school and the educational system as an example of finite games. You take exams, get a score, and progress on to the next school. In contrast, lifelong learning is an infinite game.
Kevin Kelly on Finite and Infinite Games:
The wisdom held in this brief book now informs most of what I do in life. Its key distinction — that there are two types of games, finite and infinite — resolves my uncertainties about what to do next. Easy: always choose infinite games. The message is appealing because it is deeply cybernetic, yet it’s also genuinely mystical. I get an “aha” every time I return to it.
Simon Sinek wrote a more accessible and business-oriented version of the book, which he credits James P. Carse for the idea, called The Infinite Game. I’ve not read this yet, but expect it’s a much easier read if these ideas sound interesting.