The Game Within

There are always 3 games: the one people don't see at all, the one people might see and has generally-understood rules, and the secret game. Some people think they're clever and that they know the secret game. Others know they're not clever and they just understand there's something called a game going on. Me? I'm a passionate student of the game within.

If You Can't Play the Main Game, Who Cares?

Take something like baseball. The goal is to score more points than the other team. That's how the sport is played. But what if I'm a player and I need to get enough attention to earn a next contract? Maybe I have to do more than score. BUT if I don't score and I don't do what is expected of the main game, the stuff I want to do won't get done.

Work is like this. You've got your role. If you're feeling like you don't like that role, then maybe there's another one for you, but will you get a chance at it? Not if you can't do the main thing you were hired to do.

BUT there might be other opportunities out there once you understand the games.

Boss Game, People Game

In work, there's what bosses need, and there's what the people around you need. It's two different things. Maybe you're amazing at the people game, but not the boss game. You'll never go anywhere. Worried about morale? That's good, but that's people game stuff. Thinking about helping keep costs down and the margins fatter? Now we're in boss game territory.

It's your choice at all times to pick which games matter. But the game within? Well, that's another whole thing. The game within is the game that you feel YOU have to win, no matter if it's a boss game, a people game, a big outsider game, a little hidden game or what.

Who gets promoted? Not complainers. Not those who only do their primary role. And not even those who are good at the people game.

BUT is a promotion even important? Not always. If you're playing the game within, you don't even stop to think about the promotion. You just keep working on being valuable. You jump when there's something to do. You do everything you can handle. You never over commit, but you try hard to not say no.

Are the Games Rigged? Maybe, but Not the Way You Think

Who wins? Decisive people. Confident people. Capable people. I don't care who you know. I care that if I've gotta put something in your hands, you can run it down. I care that if I give you chapter one, two, and three, that you can be trusted to read the rest of the book yourself.

The game is rigged towards action. Doing something is A100X bigger and more important than making no mistakes. Someone with zero mistakes means they're someone who hasn't played hard. You miss all the shots you don't take. Numbers matter. Shot on goal is a powerful number.

Winners want winners. Operators want operators. We want to see you and say "You're solid." That's the compliment. Solid. And you get that from playing the games. Especially the game within.

"I do my job" is the sound of you requesting to be ignored.

This game is intoxicating. All games can be. And when they get boring? Make new games. Create your own. And see where they take you.

Who's got next?