Zero-Sum Game Hurts
‘Open-Sum’ Game Heals
How to live well as one, and with everyone
The new operating system we need to survive and thrive today —
One-for-All and All-for-One
This piece is the last of twelfth stand-alone DESTINY postings on how to rise above and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic by shaping up to be healthy, fit, tough and wise. It is based on the author’s multi-decade insights as a cardiologist and the founder in a non-profit lifestyle coaching program completed by thousands of patients and coworkers. All the advice comes from participants’ real-life experiences, state-of-the-art science and diverse time-honored wisdom.
About 20 years ago, I represented my medical group practice in an insurance contract negotiation. Competing with many other local doctors, the survival of our business was at stake.
I stuck to my worldview, as in the title above which is based on biology more than business. And prevailed. It amazes me how that is even more applicable to life today in this pandemic and in general.
To my surprise, this agency for all the HMO’s offered my group a good price guaranteed for many years…on one condition:
My group must accept an exclusive contract for the entire pie, leaving all other competing cardiologists in the community out of the game, thus in effect putting them out of business.
They figured I’d only consider: “What’s in it for me, my tribe?” The easy answer should be: YES.
Yet, by habit, I asked a different question. “How can I best serve — the greater good, with me and my tribe in it?” My answer to them was NO.
At the end, everyone got the same fair and nonexclusive contract. We have been better off since. All of us.
With worthy competitors, no one could be complacent. We all achieved higher and higher quality at lower and lower cost, year after year, as tracked by of national metrics.
Over time, HMO’s fell out of favor. A model of higher pay for better outcome at lower cost became prevalent. Great for us all!
In fair competition, all the cardiologists developed mutual trust and respect for one another. We realized that nasty rivalry would not gain anyone more business. A bigger pie would.
We all joined a night call rotation, thus improving everyone’s quality of life. Our families were happier. No one lost any market share in the long run. The simple math was obvious — something that escaped our blindness in the old zero-sum game.
Nearly all other local practices proceeded to copy our model. Job satisfaction in our whole medical community improved. Our hospital won quality of service national awards year after year. Better insurance contract terms for all followed.
A few practitioners who could not keep up with the rising standards left. In their place, top quality new doctors with cutting-edge skills from all over came here to practice. With them came new sources of patients, so the entire pie grew.
Ultimately, our patients benefitted the most as the rising tide benefitted everyone. All for the greater good, with ourselves in it.
The word “heal” (in the title) means to optimize the whole. This win-win ‘open-sum’ scenario made the whole system better, plus it fostered less animosity and stress, and more options and cooperation for all.
Such would not be the case in a zero-sum game that we’ve been playing out of habit. Just look at the dysfunction, stress and suffering all around us, where even winners “lose”.
When you’re obsessed with “What’s in it for me?” or “Gosh, what if I fail?”, your thinking would be restricted and options limited. And it wouldn’t be much fun.
Change in our world is being turbo-charged by technology, globalization, climate change and pandemics. We simply cannot stick to our past bad habits. We have to create better new ways.
“We cannot solve our problems with
the same thinking we used
when we created them.”Einstein
We must think beyond simply win-or-lose, or even just win in a zero-sum game. Let’s get into the habit of a win-win ‘open-sum’ game mentality for the new ways we must now create.
This mindset is not limited to just business practice. It can be applied to almost everything we do, as one individual and with everyone else.
We already know how to do that within our own family where we recognize everyone is in it together.
Applying it more broadly may take some new habits. We can always learn how to do that well from our own body, as you’ll see below.
HEALTH MATTERS
- The trillions of cells in each body are all different. Yet, they naturally function together as one, in perfect coordination and cooperation, for the greater good of the whole, and with everyone included in it.
As an example, even though the intestine has its own self-interest and “identity”, it never hates the heart or attacks the adrenals.
In fact, many body parts will sacrifice themselves as necessary to safeguard others. For example, if you’re hemorrhaging, your mouth dries up and your kidneys shut down in order to preserve blood flow to your brain.
Each tissue and organ is hardwired for self-preservation, just like you and I. Yet, it won’t hoard anything in excess at the body’s expense. If it does, that’s called obesity. And if it does so like an extremist, it grows into a tumor.
In the body, if one part selfishly jeopardizes the good of the whole, like a cancer, everything goes down. In many ways, the same is also true at home, in society and even globally. - We now realize that some people who were once considered low-level personnel, like sanitation, custodial, store, and farm workers, are very ESSENTIAL.
(Sadly, many of them happen to be among the most COVID-vulnerable — minorities and migrants.)
As in the body, every element makes a key contribution. We do need everyone at all levels of service. - In this pandemic, no one is safe unless just about everyone on the globe is safe. No matter how distant we are, socially and otherwise, if people anywhere get infected, even if we don’t catch it directly from them, we all indirectly bear the many bad ripple effects.
Reality offers us no alternative —
‘We’re all in this together.’
NUTRITION
- Too much red meat, especially processed, is neither healthy nor environmentally favorable. So that choice is not a win-win.
Veggies, beans and nuts are both healthy and environmentally friendly (unless deep-fried). So it’s a win-win. Even frozen or canned, they can be just as nutritious, yet less expensive and easier to get. - Make a habit of having at least 1 or 2 3M’s (meatless main meals) a week. As your taste changes, you can choose to increase that number. And as local or global environmental pressures change, you can re-dial.
ACTIVITY
- Consume (burn) more personal calories.
Conserve (save) more global energies.
The two happen to go hand-in-hand. A win-win.
With the added advantage of a lower viral exposure, walking or biking instead of motoring, and using stairs instead of elevators are win-win-win choices.
FOCUS
- Since this pandemic has forced us to change many of our ways, why not choose changes that are good in the long run and better than before, for everyone?
- In building better eating and activity habits, we will get more fit and healthy while saving both money and our environment, for one and for all.
- In developing a stronger resilience to stress, we are resetting our mindset for more success and happiness, not just for ourselves but for all. It may end our longstanding “stress pandemic” too.
- In swallowing this humble pie from a virus, we are opening our eyes to old dysfunctions as well as new potentials for a better and more inclusive future for one and all.
- Some changes do come from above, but most come collectively from us. Never overlook the power of self-empowerment. The buck starts here.
“Repair yourself
before you can have
your family together
your nation governed
and peace on earth.”Confucius
- Even starting with just yourself may seem daunting. Don’t forget we each have a constant built-in reference to the limitless wisdom of The Way of Reality — our body. If we only quiet down and listen, it will teach us volumes.
Then we can compare and exchange notes with one another the world over since we are all connected and share much the same needs. Nature and cumulative human wisdom can provide further validation.
“As is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm.
As is the atom, so is the universe.
As is the human body, so is the cosmic body.
As is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind.”The Upanishads
- Each one of us only has one life to live, and one body to live that life. We must optimize it. As told by many:
Your intention starts with your thought,
then it comes out in your words,
then they translate into your actions;
your action becomes your habits,
your habits build your character,
and it ends up as your destiny.
- Start with yourself.
Start here. Start now.
Shape your destiny.
For one and for all.
TAKEAWAY
I am grateful to your readership of this 12-blog DESTINY series. As a parting gift, may I offer you this checklist in an audio format. A printable version is also available.
Living An Extraordinary Life With Ordinary Means
A Checklist of 7 Strategies in MetaCardio©
WRITTEN BY
Tak C. Poon, MD, PharmD, ABIHM, FACC
Board-certified American Preventive Cardiologist now developer of a wellness blog and a lifestyle habit-forming app at www.metacardio.org
