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Stop Keeping Score
How to quit measuring success by net worth, fancy titles, or TikTok views
Every other week, Paul Ollinger investigates how redefining success can help us lead better lives.
A few years ago, when I was looking for a new workout routine, my wife suggested I take a spin class at a place called Flywheel. The last time I had biked en masse was at a fancy California health club, so Flywheel’s spandexed clientele, neon lighting, and ebullient instructor were not new to me. But one thing did stand out: Behind the coach hung a flat-panel screen displaying each rider’s name, bike number, and total “power points.” It was a scoreboard.
Giving it little thought, I spent the next 45 minutes just trying to follow the leader’s directions. But that first session ended with my pulse racing, my T-shirt dripping, and my name near the bottom of the list. Over subsequent classes, I became obsessed with moving up.
Eventually, I cracked the code: To score high, one had to pick one of the “fast” bikes, ignore the instructor, and do nothing but pedal like crazy. The scoreboard soon replaced the fitness benefits as my main driver. Thirty seconds into a ride, I’d see “CycleFella” rise above “PaulO69,” and think, “Not today, CycleFella!” Then I’d spend the rest of class proving…
