Brad Stulberg on How to Be Excellent Without Burning Out

About this episode

Brad Stulberg discusses the pursuit of excellence without burnout, challenging hustle culture and exploring the importance of genuine passion.

Brad Stulberg co-wrote Peak Performance with Steve Magness and has spent over a decade studying what excellence actually requires. He joins Zoë and Brendan to dismantle the myths of hustle culture and explain why genuine excellence isn't about optimization, it's about caring deeply about something worthwhile. We dig into "zombie burnout" (exhaustion from doing too little of what lights you up), what Brad learned from studying Courtney Dauwalter and powerlifter Layne Norton, and why chasing flow states prevents you from experiencing them. A grounded, research-backed conversation about pursuing excellence without losing yourself. Brad Stulberg is the author of The Way of Excellence , Master of Change , and The Practice of Groundedness . He's on faculty at the University of Michigan and hosts the podcast E xcellence, actually . Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by LMNT—electrolytes with no sugar, no BS. Try their chocolate flavors heated up for the ultimate winter hydration hack. Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/ultrasignup. Featured Race: The Devil Makes Three 50k and 10 Miler — May 16th in Waxhaw, North Carolina. Technical singletrack, prairie grass…

People in this episode

Hosts: Zoë, Brendan

Guest: Brad Stulberg

Topics covered

• excellence
• burnout
• hustle culture
• flow states
• mental health
• running

Keywords

• excellence
• burnout
• hustle culture
• flow states
• mental health
• running
• Brad Stulberg
• LMNT
• The Devil Makes Three

Sponsors

LMNT

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Michigan

Books & works: Peak Performance, The Way of Excellence, Master of Change, The Practice of Groundedness, Excellence, actually

Places: Waxhaw, North Carolina

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