Even the pros slice a T shot on a semi-regular basis and end up in the rough (especially when the pressure gets intense.) I love your idea of "a balance between acceptance and realism." Then again, one can't really accept something they don't recognize as real. "60 is the new 40" is a way of avoiding or denying reality, rather than accepting the simple fact that each number represents a different value. We can either accept the value of the number or live in denial. I actually envy those who can live a numberless life, even though I think they are totally deluded.