The power of habit.

See the video in here.

Now apply it to the situation in Malaysian chess I have been describing. Now is it possible that the characters I have been talking about actually craving for recognition? Nothing wrong with that if the recognition is truly deserved. So that is the reward they are craving for. But what happens when they have been mentally defeated but still want that reward? Now this is the interesting part.

They know that producing results is the surest way to getting their reward but they cannot face the demons that have defeated them time and time again. And instead of overcoming their fears and working out how to improve their chess they now find another way to getting that reward. Is this what is happening? Judge for yourself.