In the professional world, we are obsessed with “optimization.” We want the most efficient workout, the most profitable network, and the most viral social media presence. This mindset has leaked into our private lives like an oil spill. If you like to bake, people tell you to start a shop. If you like to take photos, they say you should sell prints. If you write, you’re told to build a “personal brand.” But when you turn a joy into a job, you lose the very thing that made it special: the freedom to fail. 1. The Death of the “Pure” Amateur The word “amateur” comes from the Latin amator—a lover.…