This is a really helpful reply. Thank you. Some thoughts:

Excellence is not in contrast to fun, leisure, and relaxation; it's made that way via Capitalism and hustle culture.

> In another vein, one could make the argument that the precarious thing is to tie one's intrinsic motivations -- those little devils inside of us -- onto a "job."

Well said. I suppose it does take more energy, effort and soul really, to constantly decouple one's job from identity and worth. That one's internal values _ought_ to permeate through one's life "authentically" is certainly easier said than done.

Thanks again for responding in earnest. I'm convinced lol.