What customers think they want vs what they really want – or whether they know what they want at all. This is the game of understanding deeper needs beneath surface desires. Of seeing the transformation they seek, not just the temporary solution they ask for.
What investors want vs what the mission requires. Meaningless numbers or real impact. Scaling rapidly vs staying true to our integrity. Focus on quick returns vs lasting change. This is the game of maintaining purpose while managing external pressure.
What the system rewards vs what creates real change. Trends vs transformation. Growth metrics vs genuine impact. This is the game of choosing which scoreboard to watch.
Each game demands different moves, strategies, and measurements of success. Playing one game well often means deliberately losing at another.
The challenge isn’t in identifying these games, but in choosing which ones are worth playing. Which ones align with our purpose and serve the change we seek to create.
We won’t win every game, of course, but we can choose the right ones to play.