Pretty sure they make money by collecting credit card fees. You are essentially giving up points/rewards in exchange for an unlimited supply credit cards which, as you mentioned, has a valid use in certain situations.

Anything you can do to remind yourself of the journey and progress along the way helps. Thinking about someone’s weight loss journey the end goal is to hit an ideal weight, but the regular weigh ins, tracking progress at the gym, and reduced calorie counts help give perspective to the bigger picture.

I’m very much a data/visualization so your mileage may vary. Hope that helps spark some ideas!

It might be helpful to reframe what made you proud. Like you said, putting in the effort up front means you expect to do well. But you should be proud of your preparation which enabled you to be successful.

It’s easy to fixate on the end goal (eg doing well on a test) and ignore all the little steps that got you there (going to class, doing your homework, studying).