Or do compare yourself to others and use that as motivation to get better. I started HEMA a few months ago and still suck at it, but training and sparring with people that are way better than me is what is giving me purpose as I keep thinking “Wow I can’t wait to get as good as them!”
Sure, that’s great but it’s not even the point. Fundamental research and other type of “useless” scientific endeavors help humanity as a whole to better understand our universe but would never be privately funded because they don’t have any concrete and immediate financial benefits. This is precisely what a government should finance, because no one else would do it and yet it’s small stuff like that that make us collectively move forward as a species