When i started racing it was for fun.
A bit late in life to carve a name for myself winning races, so just race against myself and the clock, beating anyone else is a bonus.
Depends on your mindset, i know a few who can only race to win and suffer now, later in life they will really suffer from all the damage. The fun to them is to win or die trying, first or last there is no second place types. Some have got to a point of not being able to win and worried about more damage so just walk away alltogether
I have big gaps off from racing, nice to jump back in and have a go, i enjoy it more because i don’t take it serious. Keep a bike, take a break, maybe try an offbeat event. Or just trail riding for fun, maybe bikepacking, something different.
Just ride for fun until you get the urge to do a race again.