I was always the proverbial fifth wheel of the many youth sports teams I participated in while in elementary school, yet at the end of each season, I would receive the same trophy as the polished point guard sitting next to me. Those “presents” made me feel special at the time, yet looking back, I realize that I didn’t deserve any awards for my lack of interest in the game. Those awards, exciting as it was to receive them, did not motivate me to listen to the coach, practice more, or put more effort into my playing.

What grand moral is this tale supposed to teach, you ask?