PLAYING TO WIN (vs. PLAYING NOT TO LOSE)
Jenifer DeSofi
Global C-Suite Executive | Chief Product Officer | Brand Leader | @Disney, @Levis | Business & Culture Advisor | Transformational Leader
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The Game-Changing Mindset
In honor of football season kicking off, I thought it would be fun to explore one of my favorite analogies:
"Playing to Win vs. Playing Not to Lose."
This concept isn't just about sports. It's a universal principle that applies to the boardroom and the living room, to CEOs and stay-at-home parents, to artists and accountants. It's about how we face challenges, seize opportunities, and, ultimately, how we define and pursue success.
The Universal Concept
The concept of playing to win vs. playing not to lose is so universal that it's like the Swiss Army knife of human behavior. But it's more than just a mindset; it's a powerful strategy that can be applied across various domains of life.
If sports aren't your thing, don't worry; there's a whole playbook of 'slogans' to describe this strategic theory:
?This strategic approach is everywhere!
As a strategy, Playing to Win involves a multifaceted approach to life and its challenges. It's about setting ambitious goals that stretch your capabilities rather than aiming to merely maintain the status quo.
This doesn't mean being reckless, though. Playing to win involves taking calculated risks—assessing potential gains against potential losses and stepping out of your comfort zone when the potential rewards are significant.
Continuous innovation is another key aspect of this strategy. Whether in business, personal development, or any other field, playing to win encourages constant improvement and evolution rather than resting on past successes.
Perhaps most importantly, it involves developing resilience in the face of setbacks, viewing failures not as reasons to retreat or give up but as valuable learning opportunities that pave the way for future successes.
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The Mindset Matchup: Win vs. Not Lose
At its core, "playing to win" is about being proactive, opportunity-focused, and bold.
It’s the quarterback who sees an opening and goes for the long pass, even when the safer option is available.
It's the entrepreneur who invests in a risky but potentially game-changing innovation.
It’s the artist who puts their most vulnerable work out into the world, risking criticism for the chance at genuine connection.
On the flip side, "playing not to lose" is defensive, risk-averse, and protective.
It's the team that, once ahead, focuses solely on preventing the other side from scoring rather than increasing their own lead.
It's the established company that sticks to its tried-and-true product line, avoids potentially disruptive innovations, and is content with the status quo.
This concept has deep roots in sports psychology, decision-making theory, game theory, and even evolutionary biology. Over time, it has evolved to become a fundamental approach to life that can shape everything from your career choices to your personal relationships. It influences how you attack challenges, view opportunities, and, ultimately, define and pursue success.
Calculated risk-taking is what "playing to win" is all about.
Do we push for growth, or do we hunker down and protect what we have?
This question isn't just rhetorical; it's a decision we make countless times every day, often without realizing it. The "play to win" mindset encourages us to lean into these moments of potential growth and to see them as opportunities rather than threats.
It's about reframing risk not as something to be avoided but as a necessary step toward success.
…because while playing not to lose might protect you from immediate failure, it also caps your potential for growth and success.
So, the questions are:
Do we play it safe, or do we take the risk?
Do we stick with what we know, or do we venture into uncharted territory?
Do we play not to lose, or do we play to win?
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The Psychology Behind the Play: From Lack to Abundance
Now, I am the first to say this is easier said than done.
We humans tend to default to a lack mentality. Residing in an abundance mindset is a purposeful and deliberate choice because our brains are hard-wired to see scarcity.
Shifting to an abundance mindset—playing to win—requires conscious effort. It's about training your brain to see possibilities instead of limitations and to focus on what you can gain rather than what you might lose.
A crucial part of this shift involves reframing threats as challenges and moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
This reframing process is a powerful psychological tool. When we perceive something as a threat, our brain activates the fight-or-flight response, flooding our system with stress hormones. This narrows our focus and limits our cognitive flexibility—precisely the opposite of what we need to innovate and excel.
However, our brain responds differently when we view the same situation as a challenge. We still get an adrenaline boost, but it's accompanied by chemicals that enhance motivation, focus, and cognitive performance.
By consciously reframing threats as challenges, we're not just putting a positive spin on things; we're changing our brain chemistry to be more conducive to success. This shift allows us to approach situations with curiosity and excitement rather than fear and anxiety.
It opens our creative problem-solving abilities and helps us see opportunities where we might have only seen obstacles before. Focusing on positive outcomes and abundance attracts success while dwelling on scarcity and limitations brings more of the same.
Remember, playing to win doesn't mean you'll win every time. But it does mean you'll be in the game, taking your shots, and learning from every play. And that's how you grow.
Unlocking Potential: The Power of Playing to Win
Playing to win is the ignition switch that propels individuals, businesses, and entire cultures forward. It's the rocket fuel that transforms potential into reality.
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Let's explore how it manifests in different areas:
Business Potential: From Surviving to Thriving
In the business world, playing to win separates the industry leaders from the also-rans. It's the difference between a company that's merely surviving and one that is actively shaping its industry. In business, playing to win means:
When businesses play to win, they don't just reach their potential, they redefine it. They create new markets, innovate products, set new standards, and push entire industries forward.
Personal Potential: Becoming Your Best Self
Playing to win in your personal life isn't about competing with others. It's about competing with yourself and always striving to be a better version of yourself than you were yesterday. In your personal life, playing to win looks like:
When you play to win in your personal life, you start to uncover potential you never knew you had. You become more resilient, more creative, more alive. You start to color outside the lines of what you thought was possible for yourself.
Cultural Potential: Elevating Our Collective Game and Shifting the Vibe!
Now, here's where it gets really exciting. We see seismic vibe shifts when we start playing to win on a cultural level!
When we play to win as a culture, we cure diseases, send people to space, and create art that moves the soul. On a cultural level, playing to win means:
When a culture plays to win, it creates an environment where everyone can reach their potential. It's not about leaving people behind but lifting everyone up. Think about the Renaissance, the Space Race, or the Digital Revolution. These were periods when entire societies decided to play to win.
The result? Explosions of creativity, scientific breakthroughs, and technological leaps transform the world.
Modern-Day Creative Renaissance, anyone?!?
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The Synergy of Potential
Here's the real magic: when we play to win across all these domains—business, personal, and cultural—they feed into each other.
Businesses operating at their full potential create opportunities for individuals to thrive, and individuals reaching their potential contribute to more innovative and dynamic businesses.
And a culture that's playing to win provides the fertile ground for both businesses and individuals to push the boundaries of what's possible.
It's a virtuous cycle. And it all starts with the decision to play to win.
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The Plot Twist: The Power of Balance
Now, here's where I'm going to throw you a curveball (yes, I know that's baseball, but bear with me).
The true superpower isn't just playing to win—it’s knowing when to do both.
Sometimes, the best defense is a strong offense. But other times? The best defense is just a fucking great defense.
The real winning formula is about awareness and adaptability. It's about reading the situation, knowing when to play offense or defense, and knowing how to do both effectively.
In business, this might look like aggressively expanding into new markets while simultaneously protecting your core revenue streams.
In personal development, it could mean pushing yourself out of your comfort zone in some areas while establishing solid, nurturing routines in others.
It's about knowing when and what to protect while simultaneously knowing when, where, and how to expand. It's a delicate balance, a dance between courage and caution, between ambition and stability.
The Final Play: Your Move
So, where does this leave us? With a choice, really. A choice about how we approach each day, each challenge, each opportunity.
Will you play to win, embracing the abundance mindset and pushing for growth? Or will you play not to lose, focusing on protecting what you have?
The beauty is that there's no one-size-fits-all answer. The key is developing awareness and recognizing which approach serves you best in any situation; life isn't a zero-sum game.
It's about more than always choosing offense over defense. The true superpower lies in knowing when to do both. It's about awareness and adaptability—reading the situation and knowing which approach serves you best.
So, as you step onto your own field, ask yourself: Am I playing to win, or am I playing not to lose?
Then, make your move. But don't just make it once. Make it a habit to ask this question regularly before every major decision, every new project, and every challenging conversation. Let it be the lens through which you view your choices and opportunities.
Because here's the truth: Life isn't a spectator sport. You're not just watching the game; you're in it. And while playing to win doesn't guarantee success every time, it does ensure that you'll be fully engaged, learning, growing, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
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It’s your move. Play to win.
-Jen
? 2024 THE VIBE SHIFT GROUP LLC ? 2024 JENIFER DESOFI
THE VIBE SHIFT can also be found on Substack at https://thevibeshift.substack.com/
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Results-Driven Creative Leader | Brand & Retail Strategist | Product Innovator
2 个月Jenifer DeSofi first introduced me to this concept several years ago. After I got past the sports analogies, I recognized the power of this mindset and how necessary it was to apply to all aspects of my life.
As you consider whether you're playing to win or playing not to lose, think about your career strategy. The job market can feel competitive and overwhelming, but with access to over 10k fresh job listings, you can confidently position yourself among your peers and land opportunities that truly match your strengths. Take a moment to explore how benchmarking against others in your field can steer you toward success: https://tinyurl.com/rj27mjn6.
Opportunity Maximizer + People Activator -- I help organizations move faster, make a bigger impact, and grow.
2 个月You know I love everything about this Jenifer DeSofi. Especially "Shifting to an abundance mindset—playing to win—requires conscious effort. It's about training your brain to see possibilities instead of limitations and to focus on what you can gain rather than what you might lose."