Episode · The Peterman Pod · 2026-09-21
Books mentioned on OpenAI & Meta Distinguished Eng (IC9): The Psychology Behind Tech Career Peaks | Philip Su
Philip Su grew quickly to a Distinguished Engineer at Facebook and OpenAI. We talked about the psychology behind peaking in a tech career and the pressure at the highest levels.
Philip Su recommended Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Four Thousand Weeks
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman is an insightful time-management book that confronts the finite nature of human life and challenges modern productivity obsessions.
Recommended“Yes, I love the book 4,000 Weeks. I'm not sure if you've read it. I haven't. What's it about? Oh, highly recommended by Oliver. Oh, man. I'm gonna pull out the last name. But 4,000 weeks.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (4) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Passing Beowulf
“It's like when Beaolf at age 70 is asked to like slay the dragon one last time. Part of me wishes that I had that in me.”
Passing The Lord of the Rings
“One was that I think I I knew I could do more, you know, because I had done more before, but part of it was the feeling of being exhausted running at that pace and always having the eye of Sauron like roving the land looking for people, right?”
Passing Beowulf
“What I mean is more that um I felt wistful I guess is the right word which is like I was not crushed that someone else was doing better but I did feel a little bit like I once could do that work and part of me wonders if I could again right it's like when Beaolf at age 70”
Passing The Lord of the Rings
“Um, so up until I would say IC6, um, I never felt the eye of Sauron. Like I I was never at any point in my career feeling like, oh, if I just fall a little below right now, maybe they're going to can me, right?”