MOMENTUM! 3 Game Theory Power-Ups to Hack Your Daily Routine
PODCAST TRANSCRIPTS
Welcome to Momentum Monday, the podcast where I turn math, science, and history into quick, actionable tips for your week. I’m Gabrielle Birchak and today I playing a different kind of game, the game of life.
Game theory isn’t just for economists, coders or chess players. It’s a toolkit for making smarter decisions, whether you’re negotiating a raise, dealing with a difficult coworker, or just trying to get through your to-do list. Today, I’m going to give you three game theory power-ups to hack your daily routine.
Let’s go!
First, Know Your “Game”
Before you make a move, ask yourself this: What game am I playing?
In game theory, every interaction is a game with:
- Players (who’s involved?).
- Rules (what are the constraints?).
- Payoffs (what does everyone want?).
So, how can we use this daily?
- At work: Before a meeting, ask:
- Who’s in the room? What do they want?
- What’s my goal? What’s theirs?
- Example: If you’re pitching an idea, frame it in terms of their payoffs (for example “This will save us time”, or if you’re pitching a TV pilot “this story will target this audience” or if you’re discussing a raise “over the last year my work has saved the company $50,000”
- How else can we use it daily? In conversations: If someone’s being difficult, ask:
- What’s their incentive? Are they stressed, bored, or threatened?
- How can I adjust my approach to make cooperation easier?
- We can even use it daily with ourselves.: Even our daily habits are a game. I know mine are!
- Who are the players? You vs. your future self.
- What are the Payoffs: Short-term comfort vs. long-term goals.
- Then, what is your Strategy: Make the “future you” the winner by designing your environment (for example, I always put my your gym clothes out the night before). It not only creates a goal for me but I’m also setting myself up for success – especially when I have to dress in the dark so as not to wake up my husband.
So here’s our summary:
🔹 We Map the game before we play.
🔹 And we Ask ourselves: Who’s playing? What do they want? What are the rules?
My second point: Build Your BATNA
What is BATNA?
BATNA stands for Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. It’s your secret weapon for confidence and leverage.
So Why does this Matter?
If you don’t have a strong BATNA, you’re at the mercy of others. But if you build a better option, you negotiate from strength. I love this one.
So, how can we use it daily?
- At work:
- Always keep your network warm, you never know when you’ll need a backup.
- For Example: If you’re asking for a raise, have another offer (or skill) in your back pocket.
- In conflicts:
- Mirror their last phrase. Encourage them to elaborate so that you both understand each other.
- Then redirect them to problem solving. I Have a new phrase that I love to use for these situations, which is “We are both right and we are both wrong. Let’s combine the two rights and solve this!”
- And then In life:
- Diversify your skills so you’re not stuck in one role working with the same people all the time.
So the summary here is
🔹 Always have a Plan B.
🔹 Ask: What’s my BATNA? How can I strengthen it?
Finally, third: Tilt the Game in your favor
The best players don’t just react, they shape the game to favor their goals.
So, how do you do it?
Align your incentives:
- Make it easy for others to cooperate with you.
- For example: If you want teamwork, reward shared wins (not just individual heroics).
- Create commitment devices:
- Use deadlines, public pledges, or written agreements to lock in cooperation.
- For Example: If you want to exercise more, tell a friend your plan or sign up for a class.
- Avoid zero-sum traps:
- Don’t think of life as a win-lose game. Look for win-win scenarios.
- For Example: In negotiations, ask: “How can we both get what we want?”
To summarize:
🔹 Be the architect of your game.
🔹 and then Ask: How can I make cooperation the easy choice?
So for this Monday Momentum, three game theory power-ups to hack your week:
- Know your “game” (map the players, rules, and payoffs).
- Build your BATNA (always have a better option).
- Tilt the game in your favor (shape the game for cooperation).
These aren’t just abstract ideas. They’re tools you can use today, whether you’re in a meeting, negotiating with a client, or just trying to get through your to-do list.
So, here’s your challenge for this week:
Pick one interaction where you’ll apply one of these power-ups. Notice how it changes your approach, and your results.
Thanks for listening! Until next time, carpe diem!
Gabrielle
Math! Science! History! ®