Top Performers are Pathologically Ambitious - by Matt Beard
thatvastvariety.substack.com · 4,240 words · saved by 35 readers
If you work on an important problem, you should work harder and aim higher
Top Performers are Pathologically Ambitious If you work on an important problem, you should work harder and aim higher Matt Beard Feb 12, 2026 846 56 119 Share My last post argued that if you want to have a great career, your goal should not be to get a job. Instead, you should choose an important problem to work on, then “ get good and be known .” Building skills will allow you to solve problems and reap the benefits. In the ~500 career advising calls I’ve hosted in the past year, the most common response I’ve heard has been: “Okay, how good ? How well known? How many hours of practice will g
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