
excellence, actually
"excellence, actually" is a podcast from The Growth Equation, hosted by Steve Magness, Brad Stulberg, and Clay Skipper. Drawing on their years of working and corresponding with Olympians, coaches, executives, world-class physicians, and other elite-level achievers in their coaching practice and professional careers, they give you the mental and physical tools, practices, habits, and frameworks used by the best in the world in the pursuit of excellence. Each episode will give you concrete ideas and tips to use in your life immediately to help you become more meaningfully engaged in the pursuits that support your goals and your values. This is not the performative nonsense that is peddled online by grifters and influencers, but the evidence-based systems that work for the best in the world. This is excellence, actually. (This podcast used to appear under the name FAREWELL.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

7 snips
Sep 28, 2022 • 42min
140 – Rest and Recovery
On today's episode, Brad and Steve discuss rest and recovery. They talk about the importance of physical activity, socializing, nature, hydration, diet, sleep, and task switching,You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessThe post 140 – Rest and Recovery appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 21, 2022 • 35min
139 – Top 9 Documentaries
Brad and Steve put together a list of their favorite documentaries of the last 10 years plus some TV show recommendations. For a deeper dive into the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance, check out the previous podcast here.Documentaries mentioned in this episode are Won't You be my Neighbor? Jiro Dreams of Sushi, 14 Peaks, The Dawn Wall, The Captain, Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off, Meru, Free Solo, and The Last Dance. Brad's TV show mentions are The Queens Gambit, Ted Lasso, and The Bear.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessThe post 139 – Top 9 Documentaries appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 snips
Sep 14, 2022 • 19min
138 – How Awe Impacts Us
Brad and Steve examine how Awe impacts us, gives us perspective, connects us, and alleviates anxiety. In this episode, they discuss stillness, ego, narcissism and addiction.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessThe post 138 – How Awe Impacts Us appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 7, 2022 • 46min
137 – Groundedness: One Year Later
Brad and Steve celebrate the anniversary (or birthday?) of Brad's book “The Practice of Groundedness”. What would he revise for 2022? Join Brad and Steve as they discuss loneliness, the Perils of Heroic Individualism, consumerism, status, and loyalty. For an expanded look into this topic, read Brad's article “The Perils Of Heroic Individualism (And Ideas For A More Grounded Society)”.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessThe post 137 – Groundedness: One Year Later appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 snips
Aug 31, 2022 • 46min
136 – Quiet Quitting
Brad and Steve discuss “Quiet Quitting”. They talking about bullshit jobs, not trying hard as a way to protect yourself and keeping space away from something you enjoy doing. Lastly, an exclusive look at Brad's homemade vegetable juice drink.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessThe post 136 – Quiet Quitting appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 24, 2022 • 20min
135 – When Fun Becomes Work
Brad and Steve discuss when pushing turns things from being fun to being work. Is it even a problem? So what if your work is fun? Brad struggles to read for pleasure and Steve forgets about making progress. They talk about choosing not to be competitive, putting down boundaries, and staying aware of the enjoyment of your work.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness(And here is the brilliant article that is used as a launching off point for this conversation is here.)The post 135 – When Fun Becomes Work appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 snips
Aug 17, 2022 • 33min
134 – “The Medium is the Message”: Part Two on Today’s Media Landscape And How It Changes All Of Us
Brad and Steve discuss the “medium is the message” and what it means for how we consume and discuss important topics as individuals, communities, and entire societies.(The article by Ezra Klein referenced in the show is here.)You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessThe post 134 – “The Medium is the Message”: Part Two on Today’s Media Landscape And How It Changes All Of Us appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 snips
Aug 10, 2022 • 32min
133 – Part One: Today’s Media Landscape and How it Changes All of Us (The Pitfalls of Audience Capture, And How to Avoid Them)
Brad and Steve discuss how “audience capture” works both ways: you don't only capture an audience but an audience also captures you. While this is certainly true for folks with leadership roles or public personas, it is true for all of us, and increasingly so in an internet age where it is easier than ever to be connected to everyone, for better and for worse. Please note: this week is part one of a two part series on today's media landscape and how it changes all of us.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagness(And here is the brilliant article that is used as a launching off point for this conversation is here.)The post 133 – Part One: Today's Media Landscape and How it Changes All of Us (The Pitfalls of Audience Capture, And How to Avoid Them) appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 snips
Aug 3, 2022 • 25min
132 – How to Rethink Talent Development
Brad and Steve discuss what everyone could learn from the Norwegian model of talent development, and why the United States takes such a difference approach, often to its own peril. They also discuss concrete guidelines for sustainable development in any domain — from sport to intellect to the arts — that you can start applying today.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.Get Do Hard Things and The Practice of Groundedness on audible (Or in hard copy: Hard Things here and Groundedness here).Please write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessAnd here's the article on the Norwegian model of talent development that we mentioned in the show. The post 132 – How to Rethink Talent Development appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 snips
Jul 27, 2022 • 27min
Can You Be a Massive Success Without Being a Narcissist?
It is unfortunate that we've got a society where extreme narcissism is a key attribute for so-called “success.” Left unchecked, it can, and does, leave a whole lot of wreckage in its wake. On this episode, Brad and Steve discuss ego, narcissism, innovation, progress and how to keep these traits in check so you control them and they don't control you. A fun intellectual episode that is also filled with a whole bunch of actionable tips.You can find the episode on:iTunes and Apple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidStitcherPlease write a review on Apple Podcasts and help new listeners discover the show!Find Brad and Steve on Twitter: @Bstulberg and @stevemagnessCheck out our exclusive community offers on Patreon here.The post Can You Be a Massive Success Without Being a Narcissist? appeared first on The Growth Equation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.