Stop Chasing Perfection: A Therapeutic Take on Success with Alain de Botton, Philosopher
The High Performance Podcast
High Performance
4.8 • 4.7K Ratings
🗓️ 17 October 2025
⏱️ 46 minutes
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Summary
Philosopher and bestselling author Alain de Botton invites us to completely rethink what success really means. This profound and therapeutic conversation explores how true high performance isn’t about external achievement, but about realising your unique potential and finding peace within yourself.
Alain challenges the obsession with being “special,” explaining why accepting our ordinariness can be the most liberating idea of all. He also discusses how envy can reveal our hidden potential, how we lose touch with our true selves by trying to please others, and why moments of crisis or even pain can be the body’s search for balance.
This is a deeply human exploration of ambition, self-worth, and acceptance, an invitation to define success on your own terms.
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Transcript
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