It’s so hard for people to get out of the notion that life is a zero-sum game. They think if one man benefits,... — Milton Friedman

It’s so hard for people to get out of the notion that life is a zero-sum game. They think if one man benefits, another must lose. But in a free market, both people can benefit.

Author: Milton Friedman

Insight: We assume someone else's win must be our loss—like a coworker's promotion threatens our chances. But trading works differently: you give money, they give coffee, both better off. The real trap isn't competition; it's believing there's only one slice of pie.

Source: Interview with Richard Heffner, The Open Mind (December 7, 1975)