177. What Does Success Look Like?

What matters more: meeting our own ambitions, or winning fame and glory? What’s it like to earn a gold medal at the Olympics? And why didn’t Mike’s grandfather get a watch?

SOURCES:Alain de Botton • , writer and founder of The School of Life. Kirk Flatow • , head coach of co-ed varsity track and field at Monta Vista High School. Katie Ledecky • , competitive swimmer. Diana Nyad • , long-distance swimmer. Michael Phelps • , former competitive swimmer. Martin Seligman • , professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Kerri Walsh Jennings • , professional beach volleyball player. John Wooden • , men's basketball coach at the University of California, Los Angeles.

RESOURCES: • " Why Success Doesn’t Lead to Satisfaction • ," by Ron Carucci ( Harvard Business Review, • 2023). • " Katie Ledecky Matches Michael Phelps Record With Dominant World Championships Win • ," by Patrick Andres ( Sports Illustrated, • 2023). Success Index, • by Populace and Gallup (2019). • " PERMA and the Building Blocks of Well-Being • ," by Martin Seligman ( The Journal of Positive Psychology, • 2018). • " Michael Phelps: ‘I Am Extremely Thankful That I Did Not Take My Life • ,’" by Susan Scutti ( CNN, • 2018). • " The PERMA-Profiler: A Brief Multidimensional Measure of Flourishing • ," by Julie Butler and Margaret L. Kern ( International Journal of Wellbeing, • 2016). • " Diana Nyad: Dream Accomplished • ," by Michel Martin ( Tell Me More, • 2013). • " A Kinder, Gentler Philosophy of Success • ," by Alain de Botton ( TEDGlobal, • 2009). • " The Difference Between Winning and Succeeding • ," by John Wooden ( TED, • 2001).

EXTRAS: • " Where Is the Line Between Exaggeration and Lying? • " by No Stupid Questions • (2023). • " Is a 'Success Hangover' Real? • " by No Stupid Questions • (2022).