If Life is a game, what are the rules? And more importantly… Where are they written?
A well-known quote posits: “Life is a game. All you need to do is learn the rules and then play better than everybody else.”
But can life, in all its complexity, be reduced to a mere game? A game that you can win over and over again?
The games you play for entertainment happen within a defined space. They come with a rulebook you can consult. And in the end, somebody wins and somebody loses.
If you think real life isn’t as tidy, you’d be right to some extent. But you’d also be wrong.
Sure, reality is chaotic and people are unpredictable. Rules can be circumvented and even broken without consequence. But beneath all of this, the truth is we are all playing games with each other… all of the time.
Think of the argument you’ve been having for years with your spouse about who washes the dishes after dinner.
As with any game you play for sport, these also have stakes, as well as winners and losers. What if your spouse could do the dishes more often? How about avoiding the argument altogether?
Those are just some of the outcomes you could achieve by adjusting your perspective. Even better, you’ll finally be able to join that secret club of people who seem to know what all of Life’s unwritten rules are.
How?
Through a better understanding of game theory.
Game theory is the art of making the best choices, particularly when outcomes are dependent on the involvement of others.
Scientists, economists, entrepreneurs, corporations, and governments have been using game theory for decades to understand behavior, plan policy, strategize, and create products.
Many of these are academic, even abstract pursuits and you may be wondering what routine use you can put game theory to.
Consider John Von Neumann, the man credited with laying its modern foundations.
Von Neumann applied game theory to provide invaluable help during WWII, but his initial theories were the result of him trying to improve at poker.
That’s hardly a scholarly endeavor.
Whether you’re bargaining your way to a higher pay grade, or less housework, this book distills game theory’s basic principles into easy-to-understand, actionable advice and gives you the power to optimize your daily decision-making.
Here are some other things this book will teach you:
When does it pay to be a selfish player… and why you may need to go inside a prisoner’s mind to find outWhat are 8 of the most common games you and other people play in your everyday life… whether you know it or notThe overlooked assumptions we make about life games… and why these get us sent off to the sidelinesHow to recognize which game you’re playing and turn the tables on your opponent… even if they appear to have the upper handWhy strategy isn’t what you think it is and how everyone-even a kindergartener-is strategicThe nine impactful steps for creating your game playbook… including this one you’d never think would give you a competitive edgeWhy playing Life’s games ‘backward’ may be the best way to leap forwardWhy some games aren’t worth playing and what you should do instead
and much, much more…
Modern game theory is an expansive body of work and one of the primary benefits of this book is it breaks down the core concepts into digestible, bite-sized ideas.
It also doesn’t mire you into complicated economic or mathematical theories you can’t translate into practical, usable solutions for your everyday life.
On top of all of this, you get a fully comprehensive guide that will show you how to advance your knowledge or practice it.
