“There is no such thing as winning or losing in a game that has no end. There is only ahead and behind. There is no such thing as winning business, winning global politics, or winning life.” #SimonSays #theinfinitegame
Please watch the brief video (3:10) with Simon Sinek on Finite vs Infinite Goals. From my perspective, there are obvious takeaways that we, as PGA professionals can apply to our own work lives and careers.
Here are a few that jumped out (and maybe some that didn’t exactly jump, but are still quite applicable:
- Your Career is Infinite: You don’t WIN YOUR CAREER, you may “win the job” but THEN WHAT?
- While you’re here, you have a purpose, an impact and a role in imparting value into the lives of others
- In winning the job (that is receiving the job offer, signing the agreement, etc. after successful interviews,) Sinek says “the finite game is over and now you enter the infinite game.”
- In other words, you “won the opportunity” to make this job into a career (but that is not the end, it’s really the beginning)
- Note: there doesn’t seem to be a choice here.
- Simon says, you must be able to convert – by convert, he means transition your thinking, your mindset from “winning the job” or reaching the goal (eg. getting that title, that comp package, etc.) to making an impact, making your mark,
- If you’re actually
- Simon Sinek talks about an actor who “just wants to get to Broadway.” When they make it, after 15 years of toil and hard work, they suffer a letdown, sometimes are hit with depression. As I recall, after David Duval won the British Open and was the #1 ranked golfer in the world, he found himself asking if this was all there is. He had worked so hard to reach his goal and when he got there, he still felt empty. In an interview with David Feherty a few years ago, he said that after winning The Open, he felt great. But soon, he also wondered why his life wasn’t different, why he wasn’t feeling more fulfilled. It was a life-changing win for him, but it didn’t change his life on the basis of meaningfulness, happiness, etc. As Simon said about the actor trying to reach Broadway, Duval admits he didn’t know what to do next.
- Some possible applications we can make directly to the role of a PGA professional (in virtually any of our career paths) include:
- With an “infinite view” on your career, you don’t have to win every single battle: Mark Rashell, PGA Dir of Golf at Newcastle told me a few years ago about his approach to making a difference at his facility, within his company, as a mentor and leader. He said, “I don’t have to win every battle, I choose the battles I need to fight based on the long game.” I understood what he meant then, he meant the “infinite game.” Based on his approach, Mark is one of the most respected PGA professionals within the ranks of his management company, and in the WWCPGA.
- As PGA professionals, an “infinite view” of our career allows us to have the opportunity to lead teams or a facility (that includes ourselves) in an infinite game that “has no finish lines.” Helping our customers enjoy their golf more, so they play more, buy more and support our facility more is an infinite game approach. Helping an assistant get through Level 2 in their PGA associate pathway even though they may leave your facility once they have their Class A status is an infinite game approach.
- A finite view of our career can help us “get to where we want to” but it won’t help us enjoy the path of getting there (and it will likely leave us unfulfilled when we “arrive.”) Simon’s example of Andre Agassi saying, “How will you or this activity help me get to where I want?” is a very good one. For Agassi, once he got to where he wanted, he suddenly realized he was alone, the goal he had wasn’t all that great, etc. An “infinite view” allows us to be leaders, influencers, difference makers, community builders who bring others along with us. We can enjoy the ride on the path to the goal(s) because we’re together focusing on reaching each finite goal, completing each project, etc. along the infinite pathway.
- An “infinite view” (with a “no finish lines” mindset) can create an abundance mindset. In a finite view, I have to win every time to be a winner (this is a scarcity mindset.) Actually, I can “win every day” if I choose to focus on creating win-win situations, for my employer/facility and myself. Better yet, I can be a true winner when a triple win happens (the employer, the customers and the professional win.) An infinite goal for each of us should be to build triple wins within our “career circle of influence.”
- An “infinite view” understands we will never “have it all figured out.” But, with a commitment to lifelong learning, being a mentor and seeking good mentoring we can be “win every day” and become more effective in the roles we currently have and grow into new ones because of the impact we’re making now. We can “fail forward” learning through our mistakes because they’re part of the process.
If you are seeking to improve your outlook, and convert from a finite view to an infinite view of your career, please reach out to me. I am committed to help you make more of a difference in this game, at your facility and make more income, have more job stability create “triple wins” while doing it. Let’s get together and learn with and from each other soon.
Monte Koch, PGA Certified Professional/Player Development | Career Consultant
PGA Career Services | PGA of America
Serving PGA professionals, employers in the Pacific NW & Rocky Mountain PGA Sections
Email: [email protected] Cell: 206/335-5260