
Why “Optimization” Is Actually Making You Miserable
From Per My Last Email by Morning Brew
May 18, 2026 · 40 min
About this episode
Kaila and Kyle discuss the misconceptions about excellence with guest Brad Stulberg, exploring strategies for true achievement and satisfaction.
In this episode, Kaila and Kyle are joined by author Brad Stulberg to dig into what we get wrong about “excellence,” what true excellence really looks like, and the achievable strategies to achieve it. Also check out Brad’s new book, The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World. 00:00 Intro 02:08 How Brad define’s “excellence” 05:47 What is “zombie burnout”? 07:59 How to avoid a sh**** flow state 11:05 Identity house 18:38 Should we be thinking in terms of a “minimum effective dose”? 21:42 The real meaning of grit 25:32 How do you know if you’ve found fit in a given profession? 28:01 Brad’s views on failure 31:35 Can a growth mindset ever handicap you? 33:44 The first step towards excellence This episode was sponsored by Granola. Head to granola.ai/brew to try Granola for free. That’s granola.ai/brew to try it today for FREE. Find Granola-generated notes on this episode here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/f3c9df4d-0c70-4de5-b584-bea0f16d3dcf-009c2hma Want to get all of Kaila & Kyle’s career resources? Subscribe to Per My Last Email: https://www.permylastemailshow.com/ Watch Per My Last Email on YouTube: @PerMYLastEmailShow Follow Per My…
People in this episode
Hosts: Kaila, Kyle
Guest: Brad Stulberg
Topics covered
- excellence
- burnout
- growth mindset
- identity
- professional fit
- grit
- strategies for achievement
Keywords
- optimization
- zombie burnout
- minimum effective dose
- identity house
- failure
- growth mindset
- excellence strategies
Sponsors
Granola
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Morning Brew
Books & works: The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World
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