How to find success the “autotelic” way

Too many rich and prominent people turn out to be egotistical jerks: Brad Stulberg argues for a more grounded path towards excellence.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Many of us get frustrated by the out-­of-­touch actions or moral failures of conventionally “successful” people.

• An “autotelic experience” represents the fulfillment and satisfaction that arise from doing a job well for its own sake.

• Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once noted that: “The only thing in life that’s really worth having is good skill.”