Why one CEO sets 'non-goals' - and what ultramarathons taught him about focus and mental toughness

The Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson ran all his life but became an ultramarathoner in his 40s. Recommitting to the sport helped him break records and even get faster as he aged. The discipline he built also helped transform his approach to nearly every aspect of his life. His latest book, The Running Ground, focuses on his own personal journey with running, a sport that helped him cope with a cancer diagnosis in his 30s and later process his relationship with his complicated father. In this special conversation, Nick shares what running can teach leaders about the healthy habits that underpin success, pacing for the long game, and breaking through the mental barriers that derail progress. He details some of the strategies that help this father of 3 make time for what matters most including setting 'non-goals' to manage energy and not just time. As the leader driving digital transformation at a 169-year-old publication, he also reflects on navigating historic disruption and what he's learned from The Most Interesting Thing in Tech, the daily videos he posts exploring the most compelling tech trends of our time.

About this episode: 
Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/nicholas-thompson-focus-running-ground
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Xh9PLsyptgA

About this guest:
https://www.nickthompson.com/

The Most Interesting Thing in Tech:
https://www.tiktok.com/@nxthompson

Related Annual Meeting 2026 sessions:
Next Phase of Intelligence:

https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/next-phase-of-intelligence/

Regulating at the speed of code:
https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/regulating-at-the-speed-of-code/

Internet up for grabs
https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/internet-up-for-grabs/

 

Related podcasts: 

Meet the Leader - Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buVVIpttzUA

Meet The Leader -  'I'll show you a real leader' - Platon, the photographer of power, on finding humanity in all of us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIUGFUza2ec&t=117s