Mr. Stulberg writes about excellence and mental health, and is author of the new book “Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing — Including You,” from which this essay is adapted.

In America, it's called a “parking lot.” In the U.K., it’s a “car park.” Americans go on “vacation,” but the Brits go on “holiday.” In America, the street-level floor of a building is called the ...