Several prominent figures in Silicon Valley and Wall Street today are calling out a modern myth: that it is possible to accomplish extraordinary success while also creating a work-life balance. For these figures, greatness requires long hours, sacrifice, and total focus.

Andrew Feldman, cofounder and CEO of Cerebras, an $8.1 billion AI chip company, went on the 20VC podcast to make his point clear. “The idea that you're going to build something extraordinary working 38 hours a week and have balance is frankly mind-boggling. It's just not true in any aspect of life.”

Feldman’s view isn’t new, but resonates among Gen Z professionals, who value personal time and the mental toil of work. While companies discuss four-day workweeks and flexible schedules, the most successful founders in America continue to push what many refer to as "grindset" culture or hustle culture.

When ‘Balance’ Becomes a Barrier

Feldman acknowledges that there are plenty of ways to have a happy life. You could work 40 hours a week, enjoy your hobbies, and have a meaningful existence. But he suggests, for people who want to create something that will make a real difference, another unicorn startup, "You can't live your life comfortably."

"Creating something new out of nothing is not work you do part-time," he noted. "It's every waking hour. And there will be costs."

He is not alone in this belief. Zoom CEO Eric Yuan once said that "work is life; life is work." Barack Obama once suggested that being excellent at anything means being focused on that thing. Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn, told Stanford students, "If founders are really focused on balance, then they are not committed to winning."

60 Hours: The New ‘Sweet Spot’

Although there are criticisms surrounding the notion of completing 100-hour work weeks, many leaders still feel that traditional nine-to-five isn’t going to provide you with the breakthroughs they are looking for. Twilio CEO Khozema Shipchandler explains that when he allows himself eight hours of unplugged time on a Saturday, he feels as if he “has lost a day.” He acknowledges that everyone has to make their own mind up about what works for them, but he “never speaks to a peer” who works less than he does.

Tennis great Serena Williams said entrepreneurs must "show up 28 hours out of 24." And investors such as Kevin O’Leary are even more blunt: "Forget about balance. You’re going to work 25 hours a day, seven days a week, forever."

For those looking for a somewhat more grounded benchmark, Google cofounder Sergey Brin recently indicated to employees that “60 hours a week is the sweet spot of productivity." According to workplace experts, that number isn’t about the number itself. It’s about doing whatever it takes to get the project done.

Passion Over Hours

Dan Kaplan, co-head of the CHRO practice at ZRG Partners, sums it up well: “If you want to get ahead, you’re not going to get there with 40 hours a week.” But Feldman insists that being successful is not measuring by time, it’s measuring by passion and purpose.

“It’s about being consumed of your work,” says Feldman. “About being this driving force to change the world, to be your best self, and to help your team be their best.”

The takeaway sentiment is clear from the highest levels: balance may lead to peace, but obsession leads to empires.