How elite athletes perform under extreme pressure

Laird Hamilton, Gabby Reece, and Arianna Simpson
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How do you achieve peak performance while avoiding burnout? Big-wave surfing pioneer Laird Hamilton and former pro volleyball star Gabby Reece join a16z crypto General Partner Arianna Simpson to talk about what it takes.

with @LairdLife @GabbyReece @AriannaSimpson

Today’s episode features two people who’ve spent their careers performing at the highest levels in sport and business: big-wave surfing pioneer Laird Hamilton and former pro volleyball star Gabby Reece.

They join a16z crypto General Partner Arianna Simpson for a conversation that explores what it takes to endure and excel over decades — how to get back up after setbacks, when to push versus change course, and how to build resilience and adaptability. They also get into stress, burnout, intuition, and why experience and self-care matter as much as data.

It’s a fitting conversation as we head into the New Year: a moment to reflect on habits, goals, and the kind of people we wish to become.

They cover:
– How extreme environments teach resilience
– When to keep pushing forward (and when to walk away)
– Why adaptability matters more than strength or intelligence
– How data confirms intuition
– What it takes to sustain performance across decades

Highlights:
(0:00) Opening on ambition, discomfort, and pushing beyond limits
(0:55) A near-fatal big-wave wipeout and the decision to return
(2:57) Learning how to recover after fear, injury, and loss
(3:55) When to keep going and when to stop
(6:10) Are you attracting the right people?
(6:39) Adaptability as the core skill for uncertain environments
(8:22) Sustaining energy over decades
(10:42) Approaching work with a beginner’s mindset
(11:58) Working together under pressure
(15:00) Taking a company public
(16:37) Breaking bad habits and forming good ones
(18:20) Science & data confirming instinct
(20:58) Daily practices that matter
(24:06) Personal scars and the early experiences that shape resilience
(26:32) Choosing the right people
(28:30) Practical ways to de-stress and regain focus

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As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.