In the professional world, “Amateur” is often used as an insult. It implies a lack of polish, a lack of stakes, or a lack of skill. But the word actually comes from the Latin amator—a lover. An amateur is someone who does something purely for the love of it, without the pressure of a “final deadline” or a public review. We have become so obsessed with “Mastery” and “Optimization” that we’ve forgotten how to just play. We don’t take up painting; we “launch an art side-hustle.” We don’t go for a run; we “train for a marathon.” We have edited the joy out of the process in favor of the…