High-achievers constantly check their phones during family time, chasing external validation that feels like a cultural norm. The speaker argues this isn't narcissism, just a human need taken too far. Relying on outside approval leads to burnout and makes redefining success toward internal validation necessary.
Chapters
Many high achievers, they have trouble shutting off. They're playing with their kids and they're still thinking about their work. They're on a date night and they're still checking their iPhone. Funny how many people I know that are pretty wealthy, doing quite well, but they don't ever shut off. And over the long run, it's not as sustainable. Here's some of the challenges with our success-oriented culture and versus a redefinition of success. One of the challenges is, A, we are looking and seeking external validation. And one of the stronger traits of narcissistic personality disorder is many people in the highly successful world can have some traits around narcissistic personality, including myself. That's something I've learned recently where I'm looking for external validation instead of internal self-validation. Doesn't mean you're a narcissist because you are looking for external validation. Most of us, it's a core human need to need external validation to some level. And if you really struggle with this and you're externally driven, doesn't mean you're a narcissist. But you can have some traits and you can fall on the spectrum in some level.
