Last week we talked about the difference between playing a Finite Game when it comes to your career, and an Infinite One. READ IT HERE
This week we break it down even further and consider the 5 key aspects of having an Infinite Career. A Finite Career Game is all about a beginning and an end, someone winning and someone losing. The Infinite Career Game is about creating something that you can pivot as needed and that is sustainable throughout your lifetime no matter the cadence of your career and your life circumstances. Simon Sinek, in his 2019 book The Infinite Game, lays out the 5 ways businesses can set themselves up to play the infinite game in their organizations. I have applied these same principles to your career.
The 5 Key Parts To Your Infinite Career
1. Just Cause: In a career context, this is your personal mission or guiding light. Instead of focusing on promotions or salary increases, aligning your work with a “Just Cause” means pursuing a career that fulfills your deeper values and contributes to something meaningful. In Career Alchemy Academy we focus on your Career Vision and Values as your Just Cause. Your work is your form of service. You are meant to make a difference through the work you are doing in the world.
2. Trusting Teams: In your career this is not just about work teams. This is a bigger view of having long-term relationships built off of trust, giving, and consideration. Community is the foundation of Career Alchemy Academy. When you are surrounded by people who believe in you, support your Infinite Career, and want to help you along your journey you can take more risks because you do not believe you can ever take a wrong step. You share your ideas. You are open to feedback without defensiveness because there is nothing to defend. You flourish in a supportive network of women supporting women.
3. Worthy Rivals: In your career, competitors aren’t enemies but people who can push you to grow and become better. Instead of measuring yourself against others in a way that breeds jealousy or insecurity, you view the success and choices of others as inspiration. In Career Alchemy Academy there will be women at different ages and stages in their careers. Women who have traveled the road before you and are coming up behind. You learn from each other. You elevate your skills and reconsider your career approach. You have no time for feeling that you are not enough or that you have to constantly compete or put others down. Their achievements become your achievements when you step into your Infinite Career.
4. Existential Flexibility: Careers aren’t always linear, and sometimes you’ll need to pivot or shift paths to stay aligned with your purpose or evolving interests. Having existential flexibility means being open to change, learning new skills, or exploring new industries without being rigidly attached to a specific job title or plan. In Career Alchemy Academy we revel in curiosity and creativity. We love to ask questions like, “What if I stopped doing this thing that I am good at so I can be really bad for a bit, but feel totally fulfilled, doing that instead?” There are no limits in your Infinite Career.
5. Courage to Lead: Career growth often involves making tough decisions – like leaving a stable job to pursue a passion, standing up for your values, setting and keeping boundaries, or taking a role that stretches your abilities. In Career Alchemy Academy we know that being committed to creating our Infinite Careers is not all rainbows and puppy dogs. In our Infinite Career, we receive and appreciate everything that happens. We make choices that align with our long-term career Vision and Values, even if this involves short-term discomfort or risk. We build the courage to buck cultural norms, take a stand for what most lights us up and have an Infinite Career.
In Career Alchemy Academy we view your career as infinite.
We adopt the perspective that your career is where you focus on growth, adaptability, and personal fulfillment over time and to-do lists. Rather than chasing short-term milestones or comparing ourselves to others, in Career Alchemy Academy we take 100% responsibility for our experience. We are relaxed in the hands of fate. We do what is required and we are alert to where we are being nudged to go next.
This approach leads to greater resilience – whatever comes at us we can handle. We will figure things out. It leads to greater personal innovation – we lean into our curiosity and creativity as the guideposts to our Infinite Career. We listen to our inner wisdom and outer guidance because we know the answers to our most pressing questions can come from anywhere.
By embracing these five key aspects, you can begin to shift your mindset toward an Infinite Career—one rooted in long-term growth, fulfillment, and flexibility. Remember, your career is not about racing to an endpoint, but about evolving over time and adapting to life’s changes.
