Is Life a Game?
Two people played a crucial role in my professional life—Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, under whom I worked first from 1982 at the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and later as his pupil till he departed in 2015, and Dr B Soma Raju, Cardiologist, who I met in 1986 as a patient, then quit my government service to establish the Cardiac Research and Education (CARE) Foundation in 1997 and worked with him for over two decades. I received valuable insights from him, primarily through some of the rare books he gave me.
Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility by James Carse is a book he gave me recently. Published in 1987, it is considered a popular book and discussed extensively. A profound book, it offers a different perspective on life. The book is brief and written in simple and direct language. It opens with, “There are at least two kinds of games. One should be called finite, the other infinite. A finite game is played to win, an infinite game to continue the play. If a finite game is to be won by someone, it must come to a definite end. It will come to an end when someone has won.” (p. 1)
As you read the book, the idea becomes more apparent. The format is clear to both sides and those watching whenever a finite game is played—for example, a test match, a one-day international, and a T-20 in cricket. Then there is a football match, which is different. And so on. Even chess is a game, and so are cards. The match ends with one side winning and the other losing. But infinite games continue forever. Take, for example, a marriage, a teacher-pupil relationship, an industry, etc. Generation after generation plays these games, and the idea is not to win or lose but to keep playing. Whether or not we realise it, we are already playing both games. It helps to understand that we don’t go in for ‘win or lose’ in Infinite games and keep playing.
What is this world but an infinite game? There is a social game within which various other games are embedded, like the family game, community game, religion game, political game, and above all, the economic game. Resources must be harnessed and shifted across the globe, goods manufactured, food grown, and trained and able people are needed to do all these activities. So, children must be born, raised and employed. There must be masters, supervisors, sellers, buyers and middlemen. Then, there are the service providers—maids, cooks, barbers, entertainers—depending on who needs what. We are born into a game and live trying to adjust to what is happening rather than living joyously.
An example of a finite game that’s essential to the infinite game of maintaining a healthy life is making sure you walk for 30 minutes every day. An infinite game includes finite games like employee compensation and recognition of short-term performance targets to ensure employees understand their duties and how they contribute to the organisation’s success. A partnership based on mutual respect and duty is like a series of finite games: getting household tasks done daily, having a proper livelihood, and having no addictions.
In the 1980s, I was introduced to a larger world after coming to Hyderabad. There was no internet facility then, and one had to buy books from shops. There was hardly any spare cash, and I found the second-hand book market in the Abids area, held on the footpaths on Sunday when the main market was closed, to be the most heavenly place. I picked up a 1964 book, Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships, by Eric Berne, from there. It was a ‘bestseller’ in popular psychology (pop psychology), a book that simplifies the concepts and theories about human mental life and behaviour, supposedly based on psychology and widely considered credible and accepted by the populace.
Berne presents his idea of transactional analysis in the book’s first part as a framework for understanding social interactions. He suggests that people permanently inhabit three distinct selves—the child, the adult, and the parent—and keep shuffling between them. His main argument is that most interactions between adults are benign. When people engage in out-of-character roles like ‘Parent-and-Child’ or ‘Child-and-Adult’ in what are adult-to-adult dealings, they can lead to problematic interactions. How can a spouse be dealt with as a ‘baby’?
In the second part, we get a rundown of many ‘mind games’, wherein participants engage in predictable and structured ‘transactions’ based on their ill-suited roles. These exchanges may appear natural at first, but they are a cover for concealed agendas with predetermined results. “See What You Made Me Do”, “Why Don’t You”, “Yes, but” and “Ain’t It Awful?” are a few examples of the funny and informal expressions that describe the games in the book. The first person to return to their Adult ego-state is the ‘winner’ of these mental games.
Religion emerges as the most apparent infinite game. Its ultimate purpose is often the ongoing search for meaning, connection and understanding of the Divine. The practices, community involvement and personal growth associated with faith can foster a sense of continuity and exploration. Religions have evolved, responding to cultural changes and new interpretations. This dynamism is characteristic of infinite games, where the goal is to keep the play alive rather than adhering strictly to unchanging rules.
On the other hand, some aspects of religion can resemble finite games, such as dogmatic belief systems, rituals, or positions of authority that may create divisions or a sense of competition among followers. While not all elements of religion may perfectly align with the concept of an infinite game, many facets—particularly those focused on growth, love, and community—reflect an endless approach to life and spirituality. Ultimately, interpretation can vary based on individual experiences and beliefs.
“No one can play a game alone. One cannot be human by oneself. There is no selfhood where there is no community. We do not relate to others as the persons we are; we are who we are in relation to others. Simultaneously, the others with whom we are in relation are themselves in relation. We cannot relate to anyone who is not also relating to us. Our social existence has, therefore, an inescapably fluid character… this ceaseless change does not mean discontinuity; rather, change is itself the very basis of our continuity as persons.” (p. 37)
Like games, people set personal and/or professional goals and work towards them. Life has its own rules and challenges, and, like a game, it requires strategies to navigate through them. Just as games often involve collaboration or competition with others, life requires social interactions and relationships. Games usually include learning from failures and successes, a principle that can be applied to personal development. We can approach life with the same strategies and mindset we use in gaming. Ultimately, viewing life as a game encourages us to embrace its challenges with curiosity, playfulness, and a focus on growth rather than just winning.
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Thought provoking perspective of life as a game, Prof Tiwariji !
Your valuable insight into the intricate aspects of life reflects the profound association you had with legends !!
And no wonder even the bible talks of seasons……
Infinite game is Karma Theory in other words??
The mention of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and Dr. B Soma Raju underscores the powerful influence mentors can have on one’s journey, especially when they offer wisdom that transcends conventional boundaries. Their guidance, mirrored in the gift of books like Finite and Infinite Games, is an invitation to see life not just as a series of tasks to win, but as an ongoing play that requires engagement, reflection, and, most importantly, the humility to keep learning.
In all, this blog encapsulates the wisdom of living life with both purpose and flexibility, in tune with both finite goals and the infinite dance of human connection. It is a call to embrace the journey with curiosity, compassion, and a deep sense of interconnectedness. You’ve always guided us to be on the right path through your writings. Thank you for that.
It’s nice to see Dr. Soma Raju and you in the picture—two great friends and leaders who have inspired many people like me. While it is true that life is an infinite game and there are no immediate wins or losses, competition is everywhere. We all have desires and needs and must compete fiercely to get them. We compete every day, not just with others but also with ourselves.
Everything that happens in your life is ultimately our responsibility. The successes are ours to celebrate, and the failures are ours to learn from. If we don’t get the desired results, we must accept responsibility and try to improve next time. Everyone wants to win. Even fewer genuinely know what it takes to compete. Standouts go beyond competing; they dominate! This is what I understood from this blog. Pursue excellence in your work!
Change is the basis of our continuity as persons and embracing challenges with a focus on growth rather than winning. A beautiful life lesson. Indeed, curiosity is the base for all mental growth..
You and Dr Soma Raju are great players and role models for many people, including me. This blog made me reflect on the objectives of the Game of Life. You can’t play any game well unless you know what you’re trying to accomplish. Playing without clear objectives is like dribbling a soccer ball around an endless, boundaryless field with no goals. It might be fun for a few minutes, but you’ll lose interest quickly.
The first objective is to enjoy playing. Games are supposed to be fun, and life is the same. You can’t have long-term success if you aren’t happy with your actions. The next objective is to play strategically. You can’t approach the game of life randomly or without purpose. Think deeply about your strategy and plan carefully how you’ll reach your goals. Give yourself the flexibility to alter your approach and change course as needed, but keep your focus on how you’ll win.
The third objective is always to set the bar higher. Unlike other games, the game of life doesn’t end until you die. To keep the game interesting and moving forward, you must constantly set new goals and create a new future for how the game is played. The final objective, of course, is to win, which is what I have thought so far. Winning is determined by one thing only…you. You need to decide what success and happiness is for you. Play the game your way, and make sure your success is your success, not someone else’s definition. But you say that there are no wins.
Sir,
भगवान श्री कृष्ण गीता में कहते हैं (18. 58):
मच्चित्त: सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि ।
अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ॥
यदि तुम मेरे प्रति सचेत हो जाओ, तो मेरी कृपा से तुम बद्ध जीवन की सभी बाधाओं को पार कर जाओगे। तथापि, यदि तुम ऐसी चेतना में कार्य नहींकरोगे, बल्कि मिथ्या अहंकार से कार्य करोगे, मेरी बात नहीं सुनोगे, तो तुम नष्ट हो जाओगे।
Dear Sir, it’s a fascinating concept. When we say life is a game, it does not mean the board game Life (though that is fun). I mean your actual, real life. Like a board game, there are rules, objectives, and different ways to “win” in life. The game board is our environment, and the playing piece is we. Also, like a game, winning in life is not about a single roll of the die or draw of the card. It’s a cumulative process with ups and downs.
The better we learn to play this game of life, the happier, more fulfilled, and better off we and everyone around us will become. One outstanding moment can lead to another, and each can bring new hope. To play this game of life well enough to experience those victories, you’ll need to understand the objectives, how to play, and of course…how to win! As you rightly point out, there are ‘no wins’ here.
Excellent blog, Respected Sir. I reflect on the words, “No one can play a game alone. One cannot be human by oneself.” Lately, I have been drowned in thoughts as if one were born alone. Everyone is going to die alone. All of our interpretations are alone. All our memories are deeply personal. You are gone in three generations, and no one cares. Before you showed up, nobody cared.
Accepting this painful reality is hard. The mind doesn’t like it, so it does what it always does when it is bothered: it changes reality. We invent stories that are not true. Our mind fills in details that didn’t happen and creates a seamless appearance of reality from a smattering of sensory input. Reading this blog shows that connecting with fellow humans is the real way to live. My regards to Dr B Soma Raju.
Namaste Arunji. Loved the concept of finite and infinite games. The examples given by you to create clarity around what each means were very interesting. And the purpose of infinite games is just to keep playing rather than winning resonates so well with bhartiya darshan shastras as well.
Just happened to read last few shlokas of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 yesterday and see some kind of correlation with this perspective. The guidance from Krishna to Arjuna was like all the senses, mind and intellect are ever changing and these are home of all the wants & desires. So instead of taking refuse in these (effectively playing finite games to win with these), stay stable in your inner self / atma (effectively playing an infinite game with all detachment to keep performing duties just for the sake of it).
A compelling analogy between life and games, emphasizing that life, much like a game, is filled with challenges, rules and strategies. We navigate through life’s complexities by applying the skills we learn along the way. We are shaped by our connections and interactions. The idea that relationships are central to both games and life resonates deeply highlighting the importance of collaboration and learning both from our successes and failures. It’s not simply about winning or losing but about the way we engage, evolve and build meaningful connections. Life can be seen as an infinite game, where the journey holds more significance than the outcome.
Good day to you Prof Tiwari,
Another masterpiece this is, you could not have said it better ‘No one can play a game alone. One cannot be human by oneself. There is no selfhood where there is no community. We do not relate to others as the persons we are; we are who we are in relation to others’!
Dear Prof
Best wishes for 2025!
It is a good piece of life as a game to be played with other human beings. It is very inspiring indeed!
Arunji, very insightful peice of reflection that beautifully connects the essence of finite and infinite games to life’s many dimensions. The perspective of balancing short-term goals with the larger, ongoing journey resonates deeply. Thank you for sharing this thought-provoking piece of blog…
Possible finiteness has a short lived sense of achievement. Ultimate infiniteness of opportunities, possibilities, options, and means in social, economic, spiritual and metaphysical domains need to be the choices of our existence to realize the ultimate in this short life span of 100 years we are blessed with. Experiment, enjoy, cherish, respect and worship every second of your existence to experience the ultimate- which is non tangible and precious. LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE – KINGSIZE