We worship the champions, athletes, founders, billionaires and pretend their internal world must be as polished as their external success.
But the more I studied them, the more I realized:
They don’t win because they’re “whole.” They win because something in them is missing.
Michael Jordan wasn’t calm.
Elon Musk isn’t balanced.
Most high performers don’t have an “off” button.
That’s the point, they JUST CAN’T STOP.
If you’re optimizing for peace, don’t follow their blueprint.
If you’re optimizing for impact, understand the cost:
- A superiority complex will pull you forward.
- An insecurity will push you harder from back.
- Discipline will keep you from collapsing into pleasures.
These aren’t virtues, they’re engines (that’s the best way to put it) and engines don’t ask if you’re comfortable, they just RUN.
So the real question isn’t “How do I become like them?”
It’s very simply: “What am I solving for?”