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The Practice of Groundedness with Brad Stulberg

Nov 19, 2024

Brad Stulberg, a performance coach and author of The Practice of Groundedness, dives into the pitfalls of heroic individualism and the pressure it places on high achievers. He emphasizes the vital need for authenticity by aligning our public and private selves. The conversation explores the negative impacts of social media on mental health and the importance of mindfulness, drawing wisdom from Stoicism and Buddhism. Stulberg also shares practical tools for embracing vulnerability and building a grounded approach to success that nourishes rather than depletes.

01:34:52

Episode guests

Brad Stulberg

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Brad Stulberg highlights the danger of heroic individualism, which often leads to dissatisfaction and anxiety despite outward success.

The practice of groundedness is crucial for sustainable success, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the journey over fixating solely on goals.

Social media can create a disconnect between one’s public persona and private self, impacting authenticity and mental well-being.

Deep dives

The Dual Roles of Brad Stolberg

Brad Stolberg serves as both a writer and a performance coach, focusing on the principles of sustainable excellence. His writing emphasizes the connection between feeling good and doing good, which supports long-term goals. The coaching aspect of his work is heavily influenced by the principles he writes about, and he primarily works with entrepreneurs and physicians. Stolberg notes that physicians, due to their extensive training, often lack exposure to psychological and philosophical ideas that contribute to a fulfilling life.

Intro

3min

The Weight of Achievement

6min

The Power of Groundedness

14min

The Intersection of Stoicism and Buddhism in Cultivating Acceptance

5min

Embracing Action and Acceptance in Mental Health

19min

Navigating Social Media Authenticity

27min

The Power of Pause in Communication

5min

Embracing Vulnerability for Authenticity

13min

Transformative Mindset Shifts for Personal Growth

3min

Enjoy this re-release of one of my top listened to episodes with my guest, Brad Stulberg.

This week’s episode of the Growth Guide Podcast features Brad Stulberg. Brad joined us today to talk about his book, The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds—Not Crushes—Your Soul.

Brad is a writer, researcher, and performance coach and is also the co-author of: Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success.

In today's conversation, we explore the concept of "heroic individualism" and how it often traps individuals in a cycle of constant striving without fulfillment. We discuss the importance of aligning one's public and private selves for mental well-being and the pitfalls of social media's exaggerated reality.

Brad shares insights on mindfulness, patience, and the impact of language on personal growth, drawing from ancient wisdom and modern psychology to craft a comprehensive framework for thriving in chaos.

[06.38] Blessing and a curse – Brad shares his opinion about the lack of boundaries between work and life.

[14.08] Enjoying the journey – If we do not enjoy doing something, we won’t find enjoyment at the end of it.

[20.46] Social Media – We discuss how we are consumed by the false happiness of people in electronic media.

[26.40] Stoicism and Buddhism – How the teachings of stoicism and Buddhism about being in the present moment which leads us to feel better and do better.

[31.50] Behavioral activation – A key component of acceptance and commitment therapy.

[38.33] Therapeutic toolkit – The Buddhist way of considering thoughts as thoughts and not taking them seriously.

[45.06] Want vs. need – The more we focus on what we want rather than what we need, the better.

[01.01.25] Productivity vs. productive activity – Brad explains the difference between productivity and productive activity.

[01.10.31] Consistency compounds – Brad shares some practices to be consistent and stay on the path.

[01.22.38] Front vs backstage self – Front stage is the performative self, and the backstage is who you really are. The less distance between them, the better.

Resources

Connect with Brad

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/brad-stulberg-009b168b/

Website - bradstulberg.com/

Twitter - twitter.com/BStulberg

Instagram - instagram.com/bradstulberg/?hl=en

Book by Brad

The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds—Not Crushes—Your Soul

Book by Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness

Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success

Book by David D. Burns

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy