And we get sent a firm message that pursuing an activity, sport, or job is about productivity and success. Why try if we aren’t very good? Without a bit of obliviousness, we miss out on the act of playing because it’s fun.

Never feel like you have to do something just because it’s expected of you—even if you’re the one who expects it of you. Know when to step back. Know when to recalibrate. Know when you need to reassess your strategy, prior plans be damned. Everyone thought he’d play. I thought he’d play. He’d thought he’d play. And then he didn’t. And it was all