Today we’re diving into a concept that transformed not only economics, but also political science, business negotiations, and military planning. It’s called the Nash Equilibrium, and it explains why — in many strategic situations — people don’t necessarily choose the best overall outcome… but instead settle on a stable one, even if it’s suboptimal. Let’s get smarter. What Is a Nash Equilibrium? A Nash Equilibrium occurs when each player in a game chooses their best strategy given what everyone else is doing — and no one has anything to gain by changing their own choice alone. In simpler terms: once everyone has chosen their strategy, no one wants to move — because moving makes them worse off unless others move too. It’s a state of mutual best responses — a kind of strategic ceasefire.