Playing or Playing to Win

Playing to Play vs. Playing to Win

“We’re not playing to win, we’re playing to play. And ultimately, playing is fun.” (Rick Rubin, The Creative Act)

Any time you find yourself focusing on the outcome instead of the process, you are playing to win.

The best work comes from people who’d be doing it whether anyone was watching or not. The developer who’d still be tinkering with side projects at 11pm if no one ever saw their app. You’re not performing. You’re playing.

That’s the attitude that we need, and that requires us to embrace the mindset of an amateur.

When you stop having fun, the emotional texture of the whole thing shifts from curiosity to obligation.

You can build something because you want to see what it looks like, not because it’ll save you eleven minutes next Tuesday.

It’s a workshop, not a factory. A studio, not a stage. A place where things exist and happen that don’t have to justify themselves.

Stay curious. See how deep the rabbit hole goes. Take time to play to play, not always to win.