Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Top performance coach and author @Brad.Stulberg joins me to explore how we can lead more meaningful lives by passionately pursuing the things we care about. Brad explains how real excellence is the healthy middle path between over-the-top hustle-culture and detached nonchalance. We discuss the current culture of pseudo-excellence, the risks and rewards of caring deeply, how modern life can derail us, and how the real prize is the person you become while trying to reach your goals. Brad shares practical tools to build the habit of excellence: clear aims, micro-milestones, consistency over intensity, constraint-based discipline, and connection.
About our Guest: Brad is a regular contributor at the New York Times, the co-host of the Excellence, Actually podcast, and on faculty at the University of Michigan’s Graduate School of Public Health. He’s also the author of a number of books, including The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World.
Key Topics:
0:00 The middle path of effort
1:56 What does Brad mean by excellence?
3:42 What excellence is not
5:06 Staying on the path: how to keep going when results are slow
11:56 Excellence vs. skill
21:10 The Nonchalance Epidemic
27:29 Building your “identity house”
35:29 From fear to curiosity
38:10 Sponsor #1: Huel
39:56 Specific tools for excellence
46:25 Excellence vs flow
56:03 Sponsor #2: Caraway
57:35 Brad's experience with anxiety and OCD
1:02:51 Gumption
1:05:57 “See the ball go through the net”
1:07:56 How to finish a process that never ends
1:15:22 Recap
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
Sponsors:
Grab Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code BEINGWELL at huel.com/beingwell. New customers only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!
Over 100,000 people have given their Caraway Kitchen products a 5 star rating, and Caraway’s cookware set is a favorite for a reason. Visit Carawayhome.com/BEINGWELL or use code BEINGWELL at checkout.
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
Top performance coach and author @Brad.Stulberg joins me to explore how we can lead more meaningful lives by passionately pursuing the things we care about. Brad explains how real excellence is the healthy middle path between over-the-top hustle-culture and detached nonchalance. We discuss the current culture of pseudo-excellence, the risks and rewards of caring deeply, how modern life can derail us, and how the real prize is the person you become while trying to reach your goals. Brad shares practical tools to build the habit of excellence: clear aims, micro-milestones, consistency over intensity, constraint-based discipline, and connection.
About our Guest: Brad is a regular contributor at the New York Times, the co-host of the Excellence, Actually podcast, and on faculty at the University of Michigan’s Graduate School of Public Health. He’s also the author of a number of books, including The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World.
Key Topics:
0:00 The middle path of effort
1:56 What does Brad mean by excellence?
3:42 What excellence is not
5:06 Staying on the path: how to keep going when results are slow
11:56 Excellence vs. skill
21:10 The Nonchalance Epidemic
27:29 Building your “identity house”
35:29 From fear to curiosity
38:10 Sponsor #1: Huel
39:56 Specific tools for excellence
46:25 Excellence vs flow
56:03 Sponsor #2: Caraway
57:35 Brad's experience with anxiety and OCD
1:02:51 Gumption
1:05:57 “See the ball go through the net”
1:07:56 How to finish a process that never ends
1:15:22 Recap
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
Sponsors:
Grab Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code BEINGWELL at huel.com/beingwell. New customers only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!
Over 100,000 people have given their Caraway Kitchen products a 5 star rating, and Caraway’s cookware set is a favorite for a reason. Visit Carawayhome.com/BEINGWELL or use code BEINGWELL at checkout.
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
