October 8, 2021

The Game Of Business

Business is not like Parcheesi.

Parcheesi is a finite game where you have a known set of players who operate within an agreed upon set of rules to beat each other to a defined objective, at which point the game ends.

Business is different.

In the game of business, the set of players is always changing and never completely known.

Each player is operating under a different combination of norms, morals, ethics, rules, regulations, and laws.

There is no single objective that every player is racing toward.

Therefore, you can’t “win at business”.

This phrase doesn’t even make sense.

Even if you could “win at business”, would you want to if doing so meant that the game would end?

Consider this...

At the moment, I think Jeff Bezos is the richest businessperson in the world. Or maybe it’s Elon Musk. Or Warren Buffett.

Whoever it is... are they the winner?

If they were the winner, then by definition, the game would be over.

But they’re all still playing.

Here’s the thing...

The game of business isn’t about beating your fellow players.

It’s about having fun for as long as you possibly can.

Yours,

—J