Chasing Excellence

What drives the most successful people to their greatest achievements—and sometimes their darkest moments?Alongside writer and philosopher Rebecca Goldstein, we explore the mattering instinct - the fundamental human need to justify why we deserve attention in our own eyes - and discover how identifying your mattering project transforms this universal longing into a meaningful life path.We unpack why this one psychological force is responsible for both our greatest accomplishments and our most destructive ideologies.We uncover the mattering map’s four core strategies—heroic strivers who pursue excellence, socializers who find meaning through connection, competitors driven by zero-sum thinking, and transcendents grounded in spiritual purpose—and learn how recognizing which strategy aligns with your temperament reveals where you’ve been chasing unfulfilling projects.