Inspiration to improve one’s abilities

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IsaacWiebe
This could apply to any field, whether it is chess, golf, basketball, academia, etc. What is the motivation to study and improve when you’ve reached a very high level of ability?
HorsesGalore

theoretically -- for the love of learning, as we gain insights following the strategems in competitive games of the leading grandmasters

practically in tournaments -- as our needs to excel more kick in -- that we want to place higher in higher level tournaments.    If you don't have that urge, you can easily plateau out.