I went to see Bernie Williams at Carnegie Hall last week. It was strange to hear such accomplished musicianship coming from a man who won a batting title as centerfielder for the Yankees. But the more I thought about it the less strange it seemed.

Athletes and artists have a lot in common. Both know from the beginning what they want to do with their lives. Both develop their talents through endless hours of repetitive practice, build muscle memories, and teach their minds and bodies to follow the paths they chose.

The line between success and failure is a thick one in both sports and the arts. There aren’t a lot of middle-class jobs for athletes and artists. A few, but only a few, obtain obscene amounts of wealth and fame. Some burst into flames and quickly burn out. Some get bitter, either with at world or themselves, for their lack of success. Some continue playing with their friends, as a hobby, to keep the juices flowing. Some never stop.

Almost none, successful or not, continue to develop their talents and test their limits, even as those limits deteriorate with age. Almost all, successful or not, offer joy and inspiration to people in desperate need of both.