#The Infinite Game

[tmarshconnors]

"It's better to endure the discomfort of the truth now than to suffer the discomfort of the lie later."

Simon Oliver Sinek is an English-born American author and inspirational speaker on business leadership. His books include Start with Why and The Infinite Game.

Author of Bestsellers: Simon Sinek is the author of several influential books on leadership and business, including the bestsellers "Start with Why," "Leaders Eat Last," and "The Infinite Game." His books focus on inspiring leaders and organizations to think differently.

Golden Circle Concept: Sinek is well-known for his "Golden Circle" concept, introduced in his book "Start with Why." The idea emphasizes the importance of understanding "Why" an organization exists, followed by "How" it operates, and "What" it does. This concept has become a foundational principle in leadership and marketing.

Inspirational Speaker: As an inspirational speaker, Sinek has delivered numerous talks and presentations on leadership, motivation, and organizational behavior. His TED Talk, "How Great Leaders Inspire Action," is one of the most-watched TED Talks of all time, with millions of views.

Background in Anthropology: Sinek's educational background includes a degree in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University. His understanding of human behavior and culture informs much of his work on leadership and organizational dynamics.

Business Consultant: In addition to his writing and speaking engagements, Sinek works as a business consultant, helping organizations develop leadership strategies and cultivate inspiring workplace cultures. He has worked with a variety of companies, including large corporations and non-profits, to implement his leadership principles.

[elenjaxx]

The Infinite Game, Simon Sinek, 2018: overview.

The Infinite Game describes how you can create a business that will stand the test of time and challenge modern capitalism. 

Business Leaders Have to Embrace an Infinite Mentality

Many different systems in our life have finite endings. For instance, sports are played following some rules to end the game. However, business is not finite. In other words: profits and incomes are not the indicators of success. You achieve success if you continue playing the business game. Thus, the author suggests planning for long term goals and assure constant actualization by using tools such as metric analytics.  

Develop a Just Cause

A fair, long term, good goal will make your workers passionate and it will define the business future. However, the company must be prepared to survive future transformations too. The goals of your business can’t be unobtainable: you can’t end climate change, but you can set a goal to reduce your carbon imprint. Moreover, Sinek the characteristics of a just cause as:

For something

Open to everyone

For the primary benefit of others

Resilient to political, cultural and technological changes

Applies across periods/generations

Capitalism has a more Negative Impact Today than ever Before

To be a successful business over a long period, you must put your clients first. However, our system’s approach is to gain money for shareholders, not to provide service to consumers, but it is not a long term plan. These three suggestions might change the course of business companies:

Further a larger purpose

Protect people: employees, customers and the environment.

Generate profit that will allow you to maintain 1 and 2.

Successful Business Leaders Prioritize their Workers over their Profits

Pulling people into your vision assures business longevity, but you must be honest and respect your customers and workers, since both are part of your cause. For example, Apple invests in healthcare so much that they spend less money on finding and retraining new staff. A good inversion for your human resources becomes a good inversion for your business. 

Choose Will over Resources

Will and Resources are vital for your business. Although resources consist of useful tools such as money or material elements, they are still external. The internal resources are the key: build morale, motivation, commitment and desire to engage. During financial struggles, most businesses prioritize external resources, but the internal is what truly maintains the long term goals.

Build a Business Culture of Trust.

Only caring about profit develops distrust from your workers and customers. The author provides some examples that end in unethical business habits, so he proposes to make your employees and customers safe by showing vulnerability, admitting mistakes and accepting support. All in all, leaders are not responsible for the team’s result, but the people who produce that result. 

Ethical Fading

Sinek describes the term as a time when an organization’s culture allows unethical acts from employees who don’t even understand they are doing wrong. The outcome is losing the Just Cause, which repeats the main idea of the book: the solution is having a trustworthy network and a long term goal that will benefit everybody.

Learn from your Successful Rivals

In this chapter, the author presents many different real examples regarding sports and businesses alike. The general idea is that a worthy opponent will make you strive forward.

Adopting an Infinite Mindset Requires Courage

Daily worries are finite, and having important positions in a company will drive you to prioritize profit. The author understands that the ideas of the book are difficult to adapt when problems arise, but insists that by adapting them, the real leader will prove courage and will succeed. 

My thoughts about this reading: 

Positive:

I used to watch many Simon Sinek’s talks, and all of them are painful. I sometimes think he is mad at my generation, which makes me angry. But that anger is addictive, so I come back to him again and again. This book produces the same feeling: it is not going to give you a solution, not really. But it is going to give you a mirror and tell you “see? This is what you are doing wrong. Grow up”. It’s harsh, but it sometimes works. 

If more CEOs applied this knowledge, we could survive the massacre we are creating for ourselves. Those ideas could work, but not for just one business alone.

Negative:

This reading was not easy. Names, dates and examples do not stay on my memory for long, and I tend to skim them when I am reading fast, which I usually do. Besides, it is difficult to identify with the ideas, for I am not a business owner and I don’t know how to bring these ideas to  personal branding.

It is too idealistic. This book is not a guide but a wish. And I wish more companies got interested in such ideas, but, as the last chapter kind of suggests, money will always be priority number one. I feel this would never work unless the whole world changes simultaneously. One business doing good is like the smart kid in class: it seems they are here for the long run, but bullying (from other big companies) and expectations (they would have a great career/the company will change the world) will eventually bring the kid to burnout when those things do not appear as time goes by.

I would recommend this book only to a specific audience. It was difficult for me as I didn’t find anything to identify with. However, if these ideas interest you, then you should buy a copy, so you can add your own notes and observations. 

El Juego Infinito, Simon Sinek: resumen.

El Juego Infinito explica cómo crear un negocio que sobreviva en el tiempo y frente a los retos del capitalismo moderno. 

Los Líderes de Negocio Deben Adoptar el Juego Infinito en sus Estrategias

La mayoría de los sistemas que juegan en nuestras vidas tienen un final. Uno de los ejemplos está en el mundo deportivo: siempre hay un juego en el que se siguen unas reglas para ganar. Sin embargo, los negocios no se definen así. En otras palabras: el dinero y las ganancias no son sinónimos del éxito. Por lo tanto, el autor sugiere elaborar un plan basado en objetivos a largo plazo, así como asegurar una actualización constante midiendo las analíticas y los cambios pertinentes. 

Desarrolla una Causa Justa. 

Un objetivo a largo plazo, que sea justo y beneficioso, despertará la pasión de tus trabajadores y definirá tu negocio en el futuro. Sin embargo, las compañías deben prepararse para sobrevivir a los cambios que el futuro les depare. Los objetivos de tu empresa no pueden ser imposibles: no puedes acabar con el cambio climático, pero sí que puedes disminuir tu huella de carbono. Sinek describe las características de una causa justa como:

Para algo

Para todos

Para el beneficio de los demás

Que resista los cambios políticos, culturales y tecnológicos

Que sobreviva en el tiempo y durante generaciones

El Capitalismo tiene Actualmente un Impacto Negativo

Para ser un negocio de éxito durante un largo período de tiempo hay que priorizar a los clientes. Sin embargo, nuestros sistemas se basan en la rentabilidad financiera, no en dar un servicio a los demás. Sin embargo, no es esto en lo que consiste tener un plan a largo plazo. Estas tres sugerencias podrían cambiar el curso de las grandes compañías: 

Establecer un propósito más grande

Proteger a las personas: trabajadores, clientes y nuestro mundo. 

Generar rentabilidad que nos permita mantener los casos 1 y 2. 

Los Líderes de un Negocio Exitoso Ponen a sus Trabajadores por Encima de sus Ganancias. 

Vender tu visión a los demás asegura la longevidad del negocio, pero debes hacerlo bajo la honestidad y el respeto hacia tus trabajadores y clientes, pues ambos son parte de tu causa. Por ejemplo, Apple invierte tanto en salud que ya no se tiene que preocupar por el gasto de sustituciones. Una buena inversión en tus recursos humanos también es una buena inversión en tu negocio. 

Las Ganas van antes en las Ganancias

Las ganas y las ganancias son vitales para tu negocio. Las ganancias son herramientas tan útiles como el dinero o los elementos materiales, pero son recursos externos. Los recursos internos son la clave:  la moral, la motivación y el compromiso. Cuando vienen las malas rachas, muchos negocios priorizar sus recursos externos, pero son los internos los que mantienen esos objetivos a largo plazo. 

Usa la Confianza como Base de tu Negocio.

Si sólo te preocupas por las ganancias, la desconfianza será lo primero que surja entre tus clientes y trabajadores. El autor aquí nos da algunos ejemplos que acaban en hábitos poco éticos por parte de las empresas, así que nos propone evitarlos enseñando nuestra vulnerabilidad, admitiendo nuestros errores y aceptando ayuda, lo que asegura que los trabajadores y clientes se sientan a salvo. 

Ética de Miopes

Sinek describe esto como el momento en el que las organizaciones permiten acciones poco éticas porque sus empleados no ven lo que están haciendo realmente. Esto desemboca en perder la causa justa, por lo que se repite la idea principal del libro: la solución es tener una red en la que confíes y un objetivo a largo plazo que nos beneficie a todos.

Aprende de tus Rivales que Triunfan

En este capítulo, el autor presenta diferentes ejemplos sobre los deportes y los negocios a partes iguales. La idea general es que un rival digno ayuda a mejorar.

Jugar al Juego Infinito es de Valientes

Las preocupaciones diarias tienen un final, y tener puestos importantes en una compañía te obligarán a enfrentarte a ellas poniendo el dinero como prioridad. El autor entiende que las ideas del libro son difíciles de asumir cuando vienen los problemas, pero insiste en que quien las adapte probará una gran valentía y encontrará el éxito. 

Mi opinión:

Positiva:

Llevo tiempo siguiendo las charlas de Sinek y todas me han resultado molestas. Creo que es porque parece estar enfadado con mi generación, lo que provoca mi enfado también. Sin embargo, ese enfado parece adictivo, y vuelvo a sus charlas una y otra vez. Este libro provoca ese mismo sentimiento: no te va a dar la solución en ningún momento, pero te va a poner un espejo delante y te va a decir “¿ves? Esto es lo que haces mal. Madura.” Duele, pero a veces funciona. 

Si más CEOs se aplicaran el cuento, tal vez podríamos sobrevivir a la masacre que nos estamos creando. Estas ideas podrían funcionar, pero no para un solo negocio. 

Negativa:

La lectura no ha sido fácil. Nombres, fechas y ejemplos tan detallados no se asientan en mi cabeza, y tiendo a evitar esos datos cuando leo rápido, que es como siempre suelo leer. Además, me es difícil identificarme con las ideas del texto porque no llevo un negocio como tal y no sé adaptar estas ideas al mantenimiento de una marca personal. 

Es demasiado idealista. Este libro no es una guía, es un sueño. Y sueño con que algún día las grandes compañías se interesen en estas ideas, pero, tal y como sugiere el último capítulo, el dinero siempre será la prioridad número uno. Creo que esto nunca funcionará a no ser que todos los negocios cambien a la vez. Un sólo negocio actuando correctamente es como el sabelotodo de la clase: las grandes compañías le acosan y, aunque parece que tiene una gran carrera por delante, eventualmente va a quemarse hasta desaparecer. 

Recomendaría este libro sólo a una audiencia específica. Me ha sido difícil de digerir porque no he encontrado nada con lo que identificarme. Sin embargo, si estas ideas son de tu interés, deberías comprar una copia para así poder trabajarla y subrayarla lo que necesites. 

[cloudabserk]

imagine living in misery for 500 years and then ipads are invented. like maybe it was all worth it

[hallenanyall]

"she asks that i tell you to remember her. you won't."

// happy halloween :)

[m1nktank]

Saejima was all that was standing between majima and feral pirate game

[b0tster]

reading the receipts on how bethesda resorted to fucking extortion in a pathetic attempt to force Leona (a trans woman) to resign without pursuing a discrimination lawsuit by holding her fucking surgeries hostage & holy fuck

her experience at bethesda was a harrowing but depressingly familliar one filled with a sudden loss of respect by her superiors, public outing by her manager, falsified reports on her yearly review to convince corporate that she was a liability...

i struggle to find the words to descrive how i felt going through it all.

they were HOLDING HER SURGERIES HOSTAGE TO COERCE HER TO RESIGN

fuck this fucking industry. you cannot fix this. it is beyond saving

[inadvisablebutinevitable]

Every day. Every damn day I wake up and wonder how Wymack must have felt hearing Jean say, “Kevin never once doubted you’d take him in … I laughed at him. I’d never taken him for a dreamer.”

I wonder how he let that sink in, thought over and over again of his first interactions with the kid and rewriting his perceptions with the context that not only did Kevin know that was his dad, but that Kevin trusted him. Unquestionably, before Wymack even did anything, Kevin ran to him because he believed that Wymack was someone safe he could run to. I wonder if Wymack thought about “my father comes to all my games, that is enough” knowing that Kevin truly meant it, maybe always has.

I wonder how Wymack felt then, when later, much much later, that broken boy who laughed at his son for believing in a father he never met calls him out of the blue. When, before Wymack could even get a single word in, begs him, voice wet and desperate why did you take him in?

I wonder how Wymack felt after the phone call ends. Hearing Josten, arguably his most distrustful kid, telling him “I’ve got him coach” and then hanging up the phone, and wondering if Rhemmen has enough strength to watch Jean eventually get to a place similar to where Neil’s at now. To finally learn, slowly but surely, how to trust. I wonder if that made him appreciate Kevin’s trust all the more.

just… I wonder

[rainbow-taishi]

Black Swan, upon peeking into her memories: Never mind- I'm outta here! Nope! Nope! Abort mission! Oh crap! Too much information!!!

Acheron: *enjoying dancing*

[ladycrose]

Dress up games: Haha you must have this clothing item to proceed to the next level!

Dress up game lore:

[emacrow]

The batfam decided to play a new board game called the realm of Phantom which Cass had found in a vintage store...

Though when they began to play the game as Damian rolls the neon green dices first, they were suddenly transported into the real verison world of the game.

The sky is green, there a magical trail with green glowing trees, plants and animals. A sign between three paths along with little warning not to eat or drink anything meat related in the realm as it has said in the warning list.

Luckily the batfam had the snacks and drinks that were on the table.

Now it a race against supposedly time and space itself as each batfam roll the dice, pick glowing and floating neon green cards along the way, collect special items that has disadvantages and advantages.

Unfortunately during the time, somehow nobody was paying attention to Jason whom had snuck a couple of those glowing green pomegranate from a tree in the beginning while a certain someone panicked, had already eaten 4 of them, had thrown up a concerning crapton of icky yellowish green goob with red that screech at him like a chihuahua before it was about to flee and ended up getting eaten alive by some type of tiny floating blobs surrounding it and leaving nothing left.

He feeling fantastic though, and the urge to shot someone disappeared mostly was gone before anyone noticed he was gone for couple of minutes.

The batfam ended up meeting some characters that were on the board game, like Tuck the reincarnated Pharoah, little Ellie who beaten Damian to a near pulp whom kept trying for another rematch on his turn and ended up having to be dragged away before they ended up stuck in this place.

And finally they were near the end of the game where one of them must had the item to speak to the King of Balance... which nobody seem to know which item it was..

They tried every circle item they collected so far but none of them work. Tim is started to panic a bit, before Jason walked up to the Gate and press one of those green pomegranate into the circle like hole which ended up splitting in half, revealing the seeds of the pomegranate as the large grand Gate door open.

[secondary-colorentimy]

since im so infinite brained right now i decided to redraw my Anubis design for him from a couple years ago :3

Original here

[deckitout]

i love the energy tomi brings to the group

[balfiere]

Hold it. The hell's that supposed to mean?

[tea-n-ink]

Homesickness is where the heart is

[californianedgeworth]

happy special 60 yrs old Majima!

[junewild]

Watching Sam & Brennan talk about the beauty of frivolity, of adults playing silly games just as seriously as they fight to survive, and... yeah. There are some things that keep us alive, and there are some things that make life worth living, and I think games are one of those things that fall into both categories. Games make our lives better and they make us better at being alive. I think that's pretty cool.