Episode
BRAD STULBERG: The Heart of Excellence
- Podcast
- The Double Win
- Published
- May 13, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3371
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/b1799696
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Summary
Brad Stulberg is a researcher, writer, and coach focused on performance and sustainable excellence. In this conversation, he makes the case that excellence isn't primarily a performance strategy, but a virtue. He underscores that we’re wired to pursue our values and that the work we shape also shapes us in return. In a world obsessed with optimization, speed, and delegation, he advocates for craftsmanship, end-to-end ownership, and practicing the vulnerability required to stay close to our work and give it our all. Memorable Quotes “I think at the zenith, at the peak of excellence, we get those kinds of moments where our thinking mind is no longer on and we are just going completely by feel—moving forward, taking the next best step.” “We are very much a striving species. So over the last decade, what's become a central question of mine is: How do we reconcile this need for groundedness and this foundation of presence with our hardwiring, which is striving?” “No robot can give me the feeling of what it's like to get a heavy weight to move off the ground. No robot can give me the feeling of working really, really hard, grinding away at a paragraph, and then finally getting the right turn of phrase… In an increasingly digital age, I think we've got to protect things that help us feel alive and connected.” “I define ‘zombie burnout’ not as a result of doing too much, but actually as a result of not doing enough of things that light you up and make you feel alive.” “Far too often in rote achievement culture, we only think about ourselves working toward a goal. And what we don't realize is that our goal is shaping our character… Every action we take, we are shaping our character… We're stamping upon ourselves the person that we wanna be.” “The people that we admire most are…