A powerful question I've begun asking myself and those around me is this:
Are you playing to win? Or are you playing not to lose?
At first glance, the question seems simple, yet it carries deep implications. In my experience, the vast majority of people play not to lose. They focus on protecting against the downside. Their actions and decisions are geared toward avoiding failure. Their goals are things like "keeping our current growth rate" or "continuing the success we are having." This approach is well accepted and resonates with most people's way of thinking—and in many cases, it leads to success.
But what if you play to win? When you aim to ruthlessly maximize the upside, you make bolder, more courageous decisions. Instead of obsessing over avoiding downside risks, you concentrate on increasing your exposure to upside. Your actions and decisions reflect that objective, often leading to success.
So, which approach is right? There is no absolute right or wrong—it all starts with defining your goal. Success is simply about getting what you want. If your aim is incremental improvement and finding 10% opportunities, then playing not to lose may be your winning strategy. But if your goal is to achieve orders-of-magnitude improvements and discover 10x to 1000x opportunities, playing to win is the strategy. Ultimately, it comes down to what you want.
The right choice depends on your risk appetite, your courage, and your vision. In the strategy of playing to win, your mind is your only limit (aside from physical laws). I believe that being clearly aware of the strategy you choose matters because the two approaches differ fundamentally.
In my experience, those who play not to lose are driven by fear. Even if they cannot express it in those words, fear underlies this strategy. As you develop your awareness, you begin to see that over 90% of your thoughts are conditioned by fear-based responses. While fear can serve useful functions, it can also be irrational and hinder a brighter, bolder, and more fulfilled version of yourself.
Switching from playing not to lose to playing to win is not merely a mental exercise—it is a deeper process that requires exploring your fears. The goal is to fully embody this new strategy. Few reach that point, but those who do are the ones who shape our world and future in profound ways, operating on a utility curve far aside from the masses.
Which strategy are you pursuing right now?