In sports, it’s the final score that counts. Brilliant shots during the game aren’t fully satisfying unless you end up winning.

But life is different. Focusing on the final score — whatever that might mean — is a fool’s errand.

The brilliant shots are themselves the win. When we choose wisely, when we act kindly, when we create and experience beauty … these constitute a good life. It’s not some total measured against the median. It’s each moment well-lived.