Jeff says that growing up he felt as though failing was not an option. The emphasis placed on his academic performance has meant that it largely informs his definition of success. With that said, Jeff reveals that a balanced life is what he truly desires – one which although will involve work, it will also allow for rest and engaging in his hobbies, such as exercise and cooking. We also speak about the intentional steps Jeff has taken to limit his exposure to social media and its perpetuation of “hustle culture”. The conversation ends with Jeff advocating for a change in how students are taught. He believes in the practice of teaching for mastery rather than test scores. He believes that this way, the process of learning will be more enjoyable.
Listen to the full conversation below
0:00 – 1:40 On upbringing
1:40 – 3:53 On academic success
3:53 – 6:08 On learning to fail through university experience
6:08 – 7:57 On social media and “hustle culture”
7:57 – 9:30 On steps taken to avoid hustle culture narrative
9:30 – 12:17 On rest (Karoshi)
12:17 – 15:47 On ideal day
15:47 – 17:43 On ideal life
17:43 – 19:35 On being present
19:35 – 22:09 On money
22:09 – 22:38 On contentment
22:38 – 22:43 On money as metric of success
22:43 – 25:19 On constructing our own idea of success
25:19 – 27:10 On greatest failure
27:10 – 28:17 On “lone wolf” mentality
28:17 – 29:17 On greatest success
29:17 – 30:00 On academic success emphasis
30:00 – 31:15 On changing education system
*An alias was used in place of real name
Redefining Success 
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