The Fear of Losing One's Edge and the Search for Achievement

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Having a chip on your shoulder is pretty common, but some people's edge is actually an insecurity. I knew someone who was too afraid to lose his edge, even though meditation would help him. Many high achievers fear losing their edge. Personally, I've lost my edge and it's been tough because achieving work goals was my driving force. It's satisfying but also scary to not have that anchor anymore.

The Master Somm test is widely recognized as one of, if not the hardest test in the world. Only 273 people have passed it since it was incepted in 1969, also making it one of the rarest distinctions out there (<0.00001% of the world!)

In this episode, Steph and Cal discuss some of the hardest human feats, from athletics to intelligence to, and whether a healthy ambition can lie behind them.

They also discuss where they've taken things the furthest, and where they're still driven to do more.

This episode is not affiliated with Steph's work at a16z and is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.