Brad Stulberg

And then the way that this has changed over the last five to 10 years with the internet in particular is that now not only are we selling you products, but we're selling you like the entertainment value.

So we've talked a little bit about Brian Johnson, the longevity influencer.

I think more than anything, forget his protocols that are completely uncontrolled and we have no idea what's actually doing what.

It's just great performance art.

I think a lot of people are into Brian Johnson because it's like watching a reality TV show, which is fine if that's your entertainment, but if you're really tuning into that, again, you should be living your own life.

I define excellence as involved engagement in something worthwhile that aligns with your values.

That is the pursuit of excellence.

And by getting on that path and falling off and then getting on again and falling off and getting on again, it lends a sense of mastery and mattering to your life.

So that is the outcome that you get.

That is the ultimate reward.

Yes, hopefully you'll have external successes and achievements, but the real reward is intrinsic, which is that you make progress

on concrete activities that you define as important and you feel like what you're doing matters.

The more examples here, the better, I think.

I think if excellence doesn't have values in stand, well, first off, excellence was a virtue, right?

Like the term that the Greeks used was arete.

So excellence developed separate from success.

The Greeks define arete is essentially living one's full potential or expressing one's full nature.

It had nothing to do with success.

It's kind of like be the best that you can be and stay committed.

If we wipe values away from excellence, then to your point, we might look at people who get quote unquote excellent results or have massive successes, but who are completely values deprived along the way.