Worthy Rivals

October 15, 2026 | John Elliott

Lately I’ve been thinking about an idea introduced to me by Simon Sinek: the “worthy rival.”

It grows out of his “infinite game” framework, which I wrote about in a previous newsletter. To quickly recap, finite games have known players, fixed rules, and a clear endpoint, and the goal is to win. Infinite games, on the other hand, have changing players, shifting rules, and no finish line. The goal is simply to keep improving and stay in the game.

The older I get, the more I try to play the infinite game, and worthy rivals are a big part of that. They’re people who:

  • Do something better than we do

  • Reveal our blind spots and growth edges

  • Earn our respect, even when we feel a twinge of envy

  • Push us to keep improving

  • Keep us humble and curious

Because there’s no final “win” in the infinite game, the point isn’t to defeat a rival, but rather to learn from them and be pushed by them. Examples from sport (the world I know best) include:

  • Ali & Frazier

  • Magic & Bird

  • Federer & Nadal

  • Evert & Navratilova

Closer to home? Many of my clients, whom I’m helping even as they challenge me. And my peers who lead their own businesses or departments. I’m cheering them on while also trying to keep up.

Timothy Gallwey captures this beautifully in his classic work, The Inner Game of Tennis:

“Is your opponent a friend or an enemy? He is a friend to the extent that he does his best to make things difficult for you. Only by playing the role of your enemy does he become your true friend…Like two bulls butting their heads against one another, both grow stronger and each participates in the development of the other.”

A few questions to ponder:

  1. Who’s a “worthy rival” for you?

  2. How are they pushing you to grow?

  3. Would you consider forwarding this to them with a quick note of gratitude?

Carry on fellow travelers, we’ll talk soon.