In Silicon Valley, we’re taught to see “impact” as proof of our power and a morally superior use of our talents. When user counts, growth rates, and scale become our guiding, we trade depth for breadth and erode our humanity. Not every large-scale success is empty—some innovations genuinely heal and forge deep connection—but using common VC and college-admissions metrics as our yardstick distorts values. Drawing on Sapolsky’s research on status and Yalom’s existential insights, this essay explores how Silicon Valley’s cult of impact warps priorities—and how grounded leadership emerges only when empathy and humility replace winner take all arrogance.