Life is not a zero-sum game unless we make it so.  One of the primary obstacles we always meet on the road to wealth, goodness, and abundance is human nature.  Human nature, sadly, is not a benign force in our world and causes the conflicts we see around us, whether at the personal level, political level, or national level.  Every one of us, including all nations, tends to act with our best interests in mind, consciously or subconsciously.  That is never going to change, at least in this life.

Perspective And Definitions

As with any rational discussion, let’s start with simple definitions for zero-sum game and game theory.  Game theory was first developed by John von Neumann, a physicist, mathematician, and genuine polymath.  Literally, the smartest man in the room wherever he happened to be.  In 1944, he co-authored a book with Oskar Morgenstern that was titled, “Theory of Games and Economic Behavior.”  It was to become a classic in the field of game theory.  In simple terms, game theory is a “complex mathematical discipline” that is used in war, economics, and business to identify, assess, and revise strategies used by the individuals or nations involved.  A zero-sum game is a game in which the gains and losses in any situation are equal to zero.  For example, at the end of a poker game, the winnings equal the losses.

A Potential Winning Strategy For Life And Business

Cooperation would seem to be the optimal strategy in life and business.  As a result of cooperative action, we can usually craft a win-win outcome.  That is until human nature rears its ugly head, which it so often does.

However, despite human nature, I submit that win-win is still possible.  It takes a lot of face-to-face communication, active and deep listening, and making “trust the coin of the realm” as George Schultz so often recommended in foreign policy.  On a personal level, win-win outcomes are far easier to achieve.  Give them a go as the Aussies say!

Links

External:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-guinosso-7687177/

Internal:  https://whitebeardwisdom.com/are-you-living-in-a-universe-of-one/