I remember doing games like that too, although I didn't until reading this. I see my five year old already doing it to a degree. Unrelated to the main point of the article, but the positive beliefs associated with controlling the game - if I make this shot I'll be a millionaire, whoops, I can still fix this - could have an impact, if they stuck around. People that believe they control outcomes and stay positive seem to be more likely to succeed in their goals. If most of us start out this way, I suppose it's a matter of how beat down we get in early life.