Why High Achievers Still Feel Empty After Success & How to Fix It featuring Brad Stulberg
Release Date: 03/06/2026
From The Dirt to The Dad & the Story of Forgiveness and Finding Freedom featuring Nikki Sixx
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How Young Men Can Shape Their Life & Future Starting Now featuring Dan Cocran
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In this episode, I sit down with Dan Cocran, a young leader who is on a mission to help men in one of the most overlooked seasons of life—the years between 18 and 30. While many resources exist for married men, fathers, and established professionals, very few focus on young men who are still trying to find their footing in the world. Dan shares the inspiration behind the Forging Your Future Young Men’s Summit, an event designed to help young men build confidence, discover purpose, and develop the leadership skills they need to thrive in their careers, relationships, and communities....
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The Conflict Cycle That Keeps Married Couples Stuck & Unhappy
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The One Rule Every Dad Needs (Be Where You Are While You’re There) featuring Jon Bernthal
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Why High Achievers Still Feel Empty After Success & How to Fix It featuring Brad Stulberg
The Dad Edge Podcast
What does it actually mean to pursue excellence without losing your peace, your family, or yourself in the process? In this episode, I sit down with New York Times bestselling author Brad Stulberg to unpack the tension so many driven men feel: the desire to achieve at a high level while still living a meaningful and grounded life. Brad shares insights from his book The Way of Excellence and explains why humans are wired to strive — but not necessarily wired to feel content once we achieve. We dive into the trap many high-performing men fall into: constantly chasing the next...
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In this powerful Q&A episode, Uncle Joe and I tackle one of the most common — and emotionally charged — challenges men face: feeling disrespected by their wives and not knowing how to respond without escalating the situation. We unpack why reacting in anger never works, why most men were never taught conflict resolution skills, and how to move from emotional reactivity to grounded leadership. Uncle Joe also shares his raw personal story — three failed marriages, a radical transformation in faith, and what it really means to earn respect instead of demanding it. If you’ve...
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The Lone Wolf Mentality Is Killing Modern Men featuring Frank Schwartz
The Dad Edge Podcast
If you want to understand what real brotherhood looks like — not surface-level friendships, not lone wolfing it, not “I’ve got this” energy — but true fellowship forged through shared hardship, this episode is for you. Today I sit down with Frank Schwartz, aka Dark Helmet, President of F3 Nation. We dive deep into faith, fellowship, fitness, and what actually changes a man. Frank shares how going from 40 pounds overweight and spiritually empty to leading a global movement of men completely transformed his identity. We talk about sad clown syndrome, why success on paper...
info_outlineWhat does it actually mean to pursue excellence without losing your peace, your family, or yourself in the process?
In this episode, I sit down with New York Times bestselling author Brad Stulberg to unpack the tension so many driven men feel: the desire to achieve at a high level while still living a meaningful and grounded life. Brad shares insights from his book The Way of Excellence and explains why humans are wired to strive — but not necessarily wired to feel content once we achieve.
We dive into the trap many high-performing men fall into: constantly chasing the next milestone, promotion, or accomplishment while never feeling satisfied. Brad also shares powerful insights for fathers on how to help their kids develop a healthy relationship with effort, competition, and self-worth. If you’re a driven man who struggles to slow down and enjoy the journey — or you want to raise kids who value effort and character over outcomes — this conversation will challenge how you think about success.
Timeline Summary
[0:00] Introducing Brad Stulberg and the idea behind The Way of Excellence
[2:29] Why humans are wired to strive but not wired for contentment
[8:57] The trap of “heroic individualism” and chasing achievement
[11:04] Why success alone often leaves people feeling empty
[20:08] The mountain metaphor for achievement and fulfillment
[26:04] The importance of pausing to appreciate the journey
[29:00] Helping kids avoid tying self-worth to results
[34:46] Why youth sports should focus on development over winning
[41:01] Separating identity from performance
[48:55] The real goal of youth sports: helping kids want to play again next year
Five Key Takeaways
- Humans are wired to strive, which means the next achievement rarely brings lasting satisfaction.
- True excellence is about pursuing something worthwhile that aligns with your values.
- Focusing only on outcomes causes us to miss the meaning of the journey.
- Kids need to learn that effort and growth matter more than results.
- Fulfillment comes from aligning ambition with presence, purpose, and values.
Links & Resources
- The Way of Excellence (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Way-Excellence-Greatness-Satisfaction-Chaotic/dp/0063385945
- Roommates to Soulmates Preview: https://thedadedge.com/soulmates
- Episode Link & Resources (Episode 1448): https://thedadedge.com/1448
Closing
If you’re a driven man constantly chasing the next milestone, this episode is a reminder to pause and ask yourself an important question: What does excellence actually mean for my life?
Success without alignment will always feel empty. But when your ambition is grounded in values, presence, and purpose — that’s where real fulfillment lives.
If this episode resonated with you, make sure you rate, review, follow, and share it with another dad who needs to hear it.
Go out and live legendary.