Are You Winning the Game You’re Playing?
The Dallas Cowboys have been mired in mediocrity for decades now. A once-proud football franchise that won five Super Bowl titles hasn’t sniffed the big game since the mid-1990s.
As a Cowboys fan, I’ve seen the problem for years: the owner of the team, Jerry Jones, has been more interested in wringing out the entertainment value of America’s Team—contract drama, coach drama, a Taj Mahal of a stadium—rather than, you know, winning another Super Bowl.
While the team isn’t winning on the field, they are certainly winning the media-attention game. And being one of the richest franchises in sports, they’re winning the financial game.
The Cowboys are a great example of winning the game you’re playing. Much to their fans’ dismay.
Identifying the Wrong Game: A Cowboys Lesson
When you look at your life, and your career, ask yourself: What game are you playing?
I’m not about office politics, but what are you doing once you get to the office, or log into work from home? Are you building the career you truly want to build?
This disconnect between apparent goals and actual outcomes isn't unique to football. Many of us find ourselves in similar situations in our careers, excelling at things that don't actually align with our true ambitions. We might be winning at the wrong game.
Aligning Goals and Outcomes in Your Career
Think about your current role. You're probably very good at it—maybe even great. You've learned the systems, mastered the protocols, and earned recognition. But step back for a moment and ask yourself: Is this the game you actually want to win?
The challenge isn't just recognizing you're playing the wrong game—it's having the courage to switch games entirely. This is where many of us get stuck. We become victims of the sunk cost fallacy, thinking we've invested too much time in our current path to change direction. Or we’re scared of losing our existing expertise and starting fresh in a new field.
But here's what I want you to know: your skills and experiences are more transferable than you might think. Just as the Cowboys' business acumen could theoretically be redirected toward actually building a championship team, your current capabilities can be redirected toward more fulfilling goals.
Switching Games: Overcoming Fear and Leveraging Your Skills
Our professional world is full of examples of successful pivots. Software developers become product managers, bringing their technical insight to strategic roles. Teachers transition to corporate training, applying their instructional expertise in new contexts. Journalists move into content marketing, leveraging their storytelling abilities for different audiences.
Start by asking yourself these essential questions:
What metrics am I currently being measured by, and do they align with what I truly value?
If I could design my own definition of career success, what would it look like?
What would I do differently if I weren't concerned about others' expectations?
The answers might surprise you. You may find out that while you've been playing the revenue game, you really want to be playing the innovation game. Or that while you've mastered the efficiency game, your heart lies in the creativity game.
Making this shift requires something called “intentional realignment”—a deliberate process of redirecting your career energy toward your true goals. This doesn't mean you need to quit your job tomorrow! Instead, begin making small, strategic moves toward your preferred game.
Start by identifying one aspect of your current role that aligns with your desired direction, and then expand it. Look for opportunities to take on projects that move you closer to your true goals. Build relationships with people who are already playing the game you want to play.
The Dallas Cowboys aren't wrong for prioritizing business success—they are pretty clear about the game they're playing. The question is whether you're equally clear about yours. Career fulfillment comes not from winning at all costs, but from winning at what truly matters to you.
Your next chapter begins with an honest self-reflection and the courage to admit if you're playing the wrong game. Because unlike the Cowboys, you don't have millions of fans to answer to—you only need to answer to yourself.
I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified health and career coach specializing in helping mid-stage professionals gain clarity on their career journey. I’ve written a guide on how to escape the work hamster wheel.
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