The Infinite Game with Dr. James Carse | A Bit of Optimism - a Podcast with Simon Sinek: Episode 24

Many people have theories, but what philosopher, Dr. James Carse, figured out is more profound. He articulated a basic truth about how the world actually works. His work has had a profound impact on me and my work. So much so, I wrote a book to pick up where he left off. Sadly, Dr. Carse died in September 2020. Fortunately, I had a chance to sit down with him a few months before, to chat with him about belief, fulfillment and the Infinite Game. This is…A Bit of Optimism.
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Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.
Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.
Simon is the author of multiple best selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.
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Website: simonsinek.com/
Live Online Classes: simonsinek.com/inspireU
Podcast: apple.co/simonsinek
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Simon’s books:
The Infinite Game: simonsinek.com/product/the-in...
Start With Why: simonsinek.com/product/start-...
Find Your Why: simonsinek.com/product/find-y...
Leaders Eat Last: simonsinek.com/product/leader...
Together is Better: simonsinek.com/product/togeth...
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#SimonSinek

[@paul_to_the_music]

I had him as an advisor and mentor at school for a very fortunate long time… I helped proof that book Finite & Infinite Games… he was an amazing teacher and story teller, and the world is less for his passing… thanks for this Simon

[@AhmetKaan]

*If you are reading this, never ever give up. We will succeed. I'm cheering for you!*

[@walinabilly5506]

I needed to read this

[@corcoranmagriproperties]

"The loss is temporary". That's really a great life lesson!!!

[@manujohn99]

Everything is temporary........ Stumphead

[@Beacher1085]

No need to offend bud

[@manujohn99]

@@Beacher1085 ok👍

[@malikasebou5562]

Really Mr Simon Sinek I wish I could attend one of your speeches or workshops here in my country Morocco. A billion of thanks to you.

[@wisdom-for-all]

Life is like a game; all you have to do is know how to play it. We all make choices, and in the end these choices will make us 🖖

[@joshuapettis8771]

I found this gem of a podcast just yesterday, the infinite game is something I've actually been deeply fascinated by ever since hearing of it from Simon through his Chanel a little over a year ago, yet finding this particular podcast episode this morning was perfectly unexpected and I am so grateful for it. I have a few of Simons books I'm working through, and now I'm very much looking forward to being opened up to finding many of this wonderful man's as well, it's honestly too exciting, this exchange between the two was really good, I'm really looking forward to finding more from him.

[@kellycrispin-paulson6669]

I am so grateful to have come across this interview. Thank you.

[@grantegginton251]

Love this interview - thanks Simon. Such a blessing to hear his thoughts and insights before he passed. Thanks for sharing this with your tribe Simon!

[@harmonylifewithjess1593]

Loved to listen to this depth again..

[@c.s.hayden3022]

I discovered “Finite And Infinite Games” through an odd cross reference. It has many good standalone lines for something so concise. It’s fresh to see someone apply a metaphysical background to something fundamentally practical, the way his influences shaped his vision. Certainly the better end of all those idea gimmick books floating around out there. A much needed outlook now.

[@serenangel]

This was such a great conversation. It left me with a smile deeper than just my face.

[@malikasebou5562]

Life is a wonderful game in the sense that it is full of ups and downs, perks and troughs. We had to be deeply aware of this dichotomy. Thus, live, learn,adapt,enjoy , be purposeful and try to take part in life's infinite game.

[@charliebogaczyk7734]

Absolutely love this! These podcasts open the doors for us to meet the amazing people who've inspired you that we have heard and/or read about! Inspiration spreads only when shared. Thank you for sharing! How neat to be able to sit down and talk with Mr. Carse this must have been for you and shortly before his life truly became infinite! ❤ What a blessing! Thank you!

[@saisuprajreddy]

Knowing why you believe what you believe is the point!!

[@user-md6ec7wp4m]

Such a beautiful conversation and what a gem to listen to today!

[@PickingNuggets]

Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing

[@keithboyer3908]

I was magically guided towards this single and only youtube video today. Absolutely amazing, I sincerely wish to listen in on more conversations with this vibe and tonality. This was perfect. This type of thought process is what I want within my friends. This is what I've been searching for my entire life. People who think just like this. If I had a circle of friends in life to help push my growth like what you two have going on here... I'd be in heaven. MAYBE this means I'll manifest meetings with people like such this year! :) Thanks for the wonderful piece of content!

[@morpheux2]

This is just a great interview, thanks Simon!

[@Catclaw87]

Love it! The attachment to beliefs that is discussed is survival, a survival strategy. We humans begin with mapping reality to survive, then (if we are priviliged enough) wake up to the infinite dance that is life and proceed to map reality motivated by the love of life itself. The essential drive of humans to learn that is discussed is love, the love of life. Surrender your survival and you will surf an infinite life wave of love. But first, you will have to face your demons, your fear of death. Give death your best wishes and join life :)

[@jennidean6656]

Brilliant in todays World - thank you for such a great podcast and reminding people that COVID is not a finite game - it is an infinite game

[@elviratukaeva5650]

Good news is everything is infinite : beliefs, knowledge, life, even the universe... have a good day everyone

[@adityaagarwal130]

Just realized u got a million subs. Congrats

[@hasangaranaweera3329]

Very interesting end to this very fascinating conversation. So Dr. Carse at the end said every human being has to see for him or her self, and that makes us never satisfied, we keep looking for more. This is a very common conversation amongst Buddhist scholars and certain Yogis, during which they talk about very different theories, so it would very interesting to see Simon having a conversation with a such a scholar like Sath Guru, Mooji, etc...

[@dabrupro]

Read this book so many years ago. It opened my mind. A couple of years ago I read David Carse's (no relation) Perfect Brilliant Stillness. What comes around....

[@malikasebou5562]

Thanks a lot, sir for enriching our minds with these awesome ideas and stunning thoughts. I have personally learnt a lot as a teacher and a 🏫 school principal.

[@powerpig99]

Priceless

[@racaciaruth4460]

Truth needs no defense! 💘 Amen. Critical thinking is what we need, belief is finite and yes KNOW the reason WHY we hold onto certain values, traditions and beliefs. The infinite thinker embrace change and allow their minds to be ready for surprises to do more than survive but thrive.. Inspire on Mr Sinek, I wish for you much hope, faith and love 💘.

[@donnykurniawan6630]

RIP James P. Carse

[@Gorf1234]

Chess is a perfect example of a game that starts infinite then turns finite. When white makes the first move it is with no idea how black will respond, who in turn makes their first move with no idea about the reply. A few rounds later, moves are being exchanged until at one point, someone comes up with a plan or gains an advantage, whereupon the game shifts toward the finite mindset, and not necessarily at the same point for each of the players.

[@rondevlintoh]

Nice , and thanks

[@JosefSvenningsson]

Whatever happened to his new book? I'm sure it's wonderful and I really hope it can be published posthumously.

[@tomdrummy4984]

Great content.......thank you.........but, too many ads

[@gezahegnworku4510]

“Staying alive” staying health & be prepared that is all it takes to win life obstacles …there is always an opportunity if we open our eyes, stay health & alive …Infinite opportunities flowing like a river

[@ChristopherCDaniels]

Did Dr Carse ever finish that book he was working on?

[@robbiefrantz8170]

Even if my team wins the (baseball) World Series, the saddest morning is the one after my team's victory, because today/tonight there will be NO BALL GAME! You have to wait until spring for that!

[@superobservation]

Hey. I was a huge fan of James Carse's book. It was a gift given to me that really changed my life. I really wanted to hate Simon Sinek because I felt that he was stealing this idea.. I misjudged- he clearly values Mr. Carse

[@catagonfo]

Regarding that: "human beings are in almost all aspects of our lifes paradoxical" I strongly suggest you to read about Nicholas of Cusa's idea of the Coincidence of Opposites: e.g. unity/plurality; omnipotent/subordinate. Nicholas held that the Absolute Infinite (God) cannot be conceived by finite thought.

[@stephanierausch7758]

There are no winer or loser, just ahead or behind. Similar to Carol Dweck’s power of yet.

[@archerchiu9012]

Am I the only one feeling this way? But it seems that Simon definitely watches George Carlin's famous clip on Saving the Planet

[@StEpHeNno22]

23:59: "Certainty" and "hope" sound like they're respectively in the realms of "knowledge" and "belief," don't they? But what about when the truth is far from comforting, in most people's minds? What should leaders offer people in that scenario? It would seem all that leaders can do in that situation is help people: 1) realistically manage their expectations, 2) prepare themselves for the most likely of unfavorable outcomes, and 3) "hope" for the most likely of favorable outcomes, even if it dangerously resembles belief. If you would call "hope" a "belief," then it's a necessary evil, because people will either allow or pursue death if they're without hope. Good leaders bring hope.

[@tomski2671]

"Religious case against belief", how would that apply to the religion of Climate Change?

[@taylormotley3611]

26:27

[@stevenj6421]

WAY TOO MANY Ads Simon!

[@yogendraprasath]

I agree but he has given us so much and helped us in more ways than one for absolutely free and I personally am happy to watch these ads if it helps him in someway.

[@katedidcock8849]

❤👍

[@rudolphwolfchild1099]

His eyes are upside down!!!

[@shardrolma]

i really enjoyed this conversation but feel compelled to push back on your shared assertion that "the planet will be fine." i find this belief deeply out of touch with the stark reality that is right in front of our noses. anyone with any care for the living world can see with their own eyes that we are in the throes of the sixth great extinction. wild spaces on this planet are getting clawed away at a staggering pace. the game at this point appears to be how fast we can turn living things into dead things and we are taking millions of species down with this suicidal nonsense. it's not just humans who are suffering and who are going to be suffering. if it were this would be so much more bearable...

[@sleati4911]

So, this interviewer rips off someone else's idea to inspire his own book then invites the OG to help peddle both books (out of guilt) only to dominant the interview with his irritating accent. It's a basic idea. Determistic vs stochastic outcomes.A basic understanding of risk /uncertainty and statistical techniques like decision trees to identify possible scenarios.The outcome is ultimately binary or discrete. Infinite just means more and more variables added to the original set with no end in sight just a stream of continuous outcomes toward infinity. Rules haven't fundamentally changed. Just different bods. The main uncertainty is the role, and response, of humans relative to advances in technology or the rise of the machines or robots - AI /ChatGPT only the tip of the iceberg. Asimov warned us. Question is - will the robots listen?

[@poonamdinshaw5873]

That was AWESOME ..this link just popped up.....a sign that i MUST complete reading your Book The Infinite Game SOONEST...i rec'd it as a gift n was on chapter 1 when it got lost in my distractions!!.. Thanks Simon ...your Book Start with WHY has been such a great help too not just for me but others I share it with...Thank you, 🙏🪔