How we should (and how we should not) use artificial intelligence is a topic we have been frequently and furiously discussing in our group chat. (You too?) These days, it's impossible to avoid its presence in our lives. Nor would we want to! A.I. brings plenty of advantages. But, as always, a tool is only good if you know how to use it — and what trade-offs you're making when you do. On today's episode, we talk about the technology's benefits and its costs, with a particular eye to how it will affect craft, performance, and the future of excellence. So if you're struggling to figure out how exactly to incorporate it into your life — we are too! — this episode is for you.

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"You can just do things" — but should you? The word "agency" has exploded in recent months, but what does it actually mean to be a high-agency person, and when does agency cross the line into recklessness? Today, we're tracing the concept from Aristotle to Nietzsche to Silicon Valley, exploring why agency is core to our humanity in an age of increasing automation. We unpack the tension between people who overthink and never act versus those who act without thinking, share stories of taking big swings (including 25 book rejections), and offer practical tools for building agency as a muscle — whether you need to take more action or learn to pause and reflect before just doing things.

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Today, we're fielding a listener question that every high performer eventually faces: where's the line between passion and obsession? The thing that makes you great can also be the thing that destroys you, and making sure that it doesn't is no simple matter. We'll talk about the research on dopamine, temperament, and addiction and chart the path from healthy drive to destructive spiral — useful for any athlete, entrepreneur, or high achiever trying to tame their demons.

- Get a free LMNT drink mix pack with any purchase: drinkLMNT.com/Clay

- Donate at farmkind.giving/excellence and your monthly donation will get a 50% boost to help factory farmed animals

- Subscribe to The Growth Equation newsletter

- Join The Growth Equation Academy

- If you are enjoying "excellence, actually," do us a huge favor: text your favorite episode to three people so they can enjoy it, too. Thanks!

• iTunes and Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Android
• PocketCasts

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.