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Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success
A few common principles drive performance, regardless of the field or the task at hand. Whether someone is trying to qualify for the Olympics, break ground in mathematical theory or craft an artistic masterpiece, many of the practices that lead to great success are the same. In Peak Performance, Brad Stulberg, a former McKinsey and Company consultant and journalist who covers health and the science of human performance, and Steve Magness, a performance scientist and coach of Olympic athletes, team up to demystify these practices and demonstrate how everyone can achieve their best.
The first book of its kind, Peak Performance combines the inspiring stories of top performers across a range of capabilities - from athletic, to intellectual, to artistic - with the latest scientific insights into the cognitive and neurochemical factors that drive performance in all domains. In doing so, Peak Performance uncovers new linkages that hold promise as performance enhancers but have been overlooked in our traditionally-siloed ways of thinking. The result is a life-changing book in which readers will learn how to enhance their performance by a myriad of ways including: optimally alternating between periods of intense work and rest; developing and harnessing the power of a self-transcending purpose; and priming the body and mind for enhanced productivity.
In revealing the science of great performance and the stories of great performers across a wide range of capabilities, Peak Performance uncovers the secrets of success, and coaches readers on how to use them. If you want to take your game to the next level, whatever "your game" may be, Peak Performance will teach you how.
The first book of its kind, Peak Performance combines the inspiring stories of top performers across a range of capabilities - from athletic, to intellectual, to artistic - with the latest scientific insights into the cognitive and neurochemical factors that drive performance in all domains. In doing so, Peak Performance uncovers new linkages that hold promise as performance enhancers but have been overlooked in our traditionally-siloed ways of thinking. The result is a life-changing book in which readers will learn how to enhance their performance by a myriad of ways including: optimally alternating between periods of intense work and rest; developing and harnessing the power of a self-transcending purpose; and priming the body and mind for enhanced productivity.
In revealing the science of great performance and the stories of great performers across a wide range of capabilities, Peak Performance uncovers the secrets of success, and coaches readers on how to use them. If you want to take your game to the next level, whatever "your game" may be, Peak Performance will teach you how.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2017
About the author
Brad Stulberg
14 books317 followersBrad Stulberg researches, writes, and coaches on health, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He is the bestselling author of Master of Change, The Practice of Groundedness, and co-author of Peak Performance.
Stulberg regularly contributes to the New York Times, and his work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, Outside Magazine, Forbes, and other outlets.
He also serves as the co-host of The Growth Equation podcast and is on faculty at the University of Michigan’s Graduate School of Public Health. In his coaching practice, he works with executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes on their mental skills and overall well-being.
He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
Follow him on Intagram @Bradstulberg and Twitter @Bstulberg and learn more at www.bradstulberg.com
Stulberg regularly contributes to the New York Times, and his work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, Outside Magazine, Forbes, and other outlets.
He also serves as the co-host of The Growth Equation podcast and is on faculty at the University of Michigan’s Graduate School of Public Health. In his coaching practice, he works with executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes on their mental skills and overall well-being.
He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
Follow him on Intagram @Bradstulberg and Twitter @Bstulberg and learn more at www.bradstulberg.com
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February 22, 2019
PEAK PERFORMANCE: All You Need to Know
The Summary at the end of the book is more than all you need from the book. So here goes:
1. SYSTEMATICALLY GROW BY ALTERNATING BETWEEN STRESS AND REST
Stress Yourself
A) Seek out “just-manageable challenges” in areas of your life in which you want grow
•Just-manageable challenges are those that barely exceed your current abilities.
•If you feel fully in control, make the next challenge a bit harder.
•If you feel anxious or so aroused that you can’t focus, dial things down a notch.
B) Cultivate deep focus and perfect practice
•Define a purpose and concrete objectives each time you set out to do meaningful work.
•Focus and concentrate deeply, even if doing so isn’t always enjoyable.
•Remove distractors such as smartphones; remember that out of sight is truly out of mind.
•Do only one thing at a time. Next time you feel like multitasking, remind yourself that research shows it’s not effective.
•Remember that quality trumps quantity.
C) Work in discrete blocks
•Divide your work into blocks of 50 to 90 minutes (this may vary by task). Start even smaller if you find yourself struggling to maintain attention.
•If deep-focus work is new to you, start with blocks as short as 10 to 15 minutes. As you cultivate a deep-focus practice, gradually increase the duration you go deep.
•For almost all activities, 2 hours should be the uppermost limit for a working block.
D) Nurture a growth or challenge mindset
•Keep in mind that how you view something fundamentally changes how your body responds to it.
•In situations when you feel the sensation of stress, remind yourself that this is your body’s natural way of preparing for a challenge. Take a deep breath and channel the heightened arousal and sharper perception into the task at hand.
•Push yourself to view stress productively, and even to welcome it. You’ll not only perform better but also improve your health.
Have the Courage to Rest
A) Grow your mindful muscle with meditation so that you can more easily choose rest
•Find a time when other distractions are minimized, such as first thing in the morning, after brushing your teeth, or before going to bed.
•Sit in a comfortable position and, ideally, in a quiet space.
•Set a timer so you aren’t distracted by thoughts about the passage of time.
•Begin breathing deeply, in and out through your nose.
•Focus on nothing but your breath; when thoughts arise, notice them, but then let them go. Direct your focus back to the sensation of the breath.
•Start with just 1 minute and gradually increase duration, adding 30 to 45 seconds every few days.
•Frequency trumps duration. It’s best to meditate daily, even if that means keeping individual sessions short.
B) Apply your growing mindful muscle in everyday life
•Have “calm conversations” during stressful periods; remember that you are separate from the emotions and sensations that you are experiencing.
•Realize when you want to “turn it off” and then choose to leave stress behind. Taking a few deep breaths helps because it activates the prefrontal cortex, your brain’s command-and-control center.
C) Take smart breaks and let your subconscious go to work
•When you are working on a strenuous task and hit an impasse, have the courage to step away.
•Step away from whatever it is you were doing for at least 5 minutes.
•The more stressful the task, the longer your break should be.
•For really draining tasks, consider stepping away until the next morning.
•During your breaks, perform activities that demand little to no focus, such as going for a walk, or a shower.
• You may have an “aha” moment of insight during your break. If you do, great. Even if you don’t have an “aha” moment during your break, your subconscious mind is still at work. When you return to whatever it is you were doing, you’ll be more likely to make progress.
D) Prioritize sleep
• Reframe sleep as something that is productive.
• Aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. For those doing intense physical activity, 10 hours is not too much.
• The best way to figure out the right amount of sleep for you is to spend 10 to 14 days going to sleep when you are tired and waking up without an alarm clock. Take the average sleep time. That’s what you need.
E) Take extended time off
•Regardless of the work you do, take at least one off-day every week.
•To the extent that you can, time your off-days and vacations strategically to follow periods of accumulated stress.
•The more you stress, the more you should rest.
•On both single off-days and extended vacations, truly disconnect from work. Unplug both physically and mentally and engage in activities that you find relaxing and restorative.
2. PRIME FOR PERFORMANCE
Optimize Your Routine
A) Develop warmup regimens for important activities/performances
•Determine what state of mind and body your performance demands.
•Develop a sequence of activities that puts your mind and body in that state.
•Be consistent: Use the same routine each and every time you engage in the activity to which it is linked.
•Remember the impact of mood on performance; positivity goes a long way.
B) Create “a place of your own”
•Find physical spaces to dedicate to unique activities.
•Surround yourself with objects that invite desired behaviors.
•Consistently work in that same place, using the same materials.
•Over time, your environment will enhance your productivity on a deep neurological level.
C) Condition yourself to perform
•Link key behaviors to specific cues and/or routines.
•Be consistent and frequent; execute the same cue/routine every time prior to the behavior to which it is paired.
•If possible, link key activities to the same context (e.g., time of day, physical environment, etc.).
•If your pursuit requires variable settings, develop portable cues/routines that can be executed anywhere (e.g., a deep-breathing routine, self-talk, etc.).
•Consistency is king. The best routine means nothing if you don’t regularly practice it.
Design Your Day
A) Become a minimalist to be a maximalist
•Reflect on all the decisions that you make throughout a day.
•Identify ones that are unimportant, that “don’t really matter” to you.
•To the extent that you can, automate those decisions that don’t really matter. Common examples include decisions about:
Clothing
What to eat at meals
When to complete daily activities (e.g., always exercise at the same time of the day so you literally don’t need to think about it)
Whether to attend social gatherings (It’s not always a good idea, but during important periods of work, many great performers adopt a strict policy of saying no to social events), etc.
•Don’t devote brain power to gossip, politics, or worrying about what others think of you.
•Consider the second- and third-order effects (e.g., commute, financial pressures, etc.) of larger life decisions, such as where to live.
B) Match activities with energy levels
•Determine your chronotype (e.g., whether you are a morning lark or night owl).
•Design your day accordingly—be very intentional about when you schedule certain activities, matching the demands of the activity with your energy level.
•Protect the time during which you are most alert for “the most important work.”
•Schedule less-demanding tasks during periods in which you are less alert.
•Don’t fight fatigue! Rather, use this time for recovery and to generate creative ideas that you can act on during your next cycle of high energy and focus.
•Remember that working in alignment with your chronotype not only maximizes performance, it also ensures an appropriate balance between stress and rest.
C) Surround yourself wisely
•Recognize the enormous power of the people with whom you surround yourself.
•Do what you can to cultivate your own village of support so that you surround yourself with a culture of performance. Positive energy, motivation, and drive are all contagious.
•Remember that by being positive and showing motivation, you are not only helping yourself, you are also helping everyone else in your life.
•Don’t put up with too much negativity or pessimism. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
D) Show up
•There is no replacement for showing up, day in and day out, to hone your craft.
•Remember that attitudes often follow behaviors; sometimes the best thing that you can do is to simply get started.
3. HARNESS THE POWER OF PURPOSE
Transcend Your“self”
A) Overcome your ego
•Remember that your “ego” or “self” or “central governor” serves as a protective mechanism that holds you back from reaching your true limits. When faced with great challenges, your ego is biologically programmed to shut you down, telling you to turn in the other direction.
•By focusing on a self-transcending purpose, or a reason for doing something beyond your self, you can override your ego and break through your self-imposed limits.
•To the extent you can, link your activities to a greater purpose. This way, when you are faced with formidable challenges and your mind is telling you to quit, you can ask yourself why you are doing it. If the answer is “for someone or something greater than myself,” you’ll be more likely to push onward.
•Thinking less about your self is one of the best ways to improve yourself.
B) Enhance your motivation
•Recall that you are constantly balancing perception of effort, or how hard something feels, with motivation. Thus, if you want to endure more effort, you may need to increase your motivation.
•To increase motivation, link your work to a greater purpose or cause.
•Not only will focusing on activities that help others make the world a better place, it will also help make you a better performer.
•Think about why you are doing what you are doing, especially when you are feeling fatigued.
C) Give back to avoid burnout
•Find opportunities to give back in the context of your work. These can be more intensive activities like coaching and mentoring, or less intensive acts like posting sincere advice in online forums.
•The only criteria is that the giving is closely linked to your work and that you give without the expectation of getting anything back.
•While giving is especially powerful for preventing and reversing burnout, you should still aim to avoid burnout by supporting stress with appropriate rest.
Develop and Harness Your Purpose
A) Develop your purpose with these steps:
•Select your core values.
•Personalize your core values.
•Rank your core values.
•Write your purpose statement.
B) Strategically call upon your purpose
•Use visual cues to remind yourself of your purpose when you are most likely to need a boost.
•Develop a mantra based on your purpose and use it for self-talk when the going gets tough.
•Reflect on your purpose nightly (try using expressive writing). Think about how closely you lived in alignment with your purpose, striving to move closer to consistent alignment over time.
+++++
Do all of this, and do them well,
When all about you are watching Netflix,
And you will be ready for Peak Performance, my son.
-- Rudyard Kiping
The Summary at the end of the book is more than all you need from the book. So here goes:
1. SYSTEMATICALLY GROW BY ALTERNATING BETWEEN STRESS AND REST
Stress Yourself
A) Seek out “just-manageable challenges” in areas of your life in which you want grow
•Just-manageable challenges are those that barely exceed your current abilities.
•If you feel fully in control, make the next challenge a bit harder.
•If you feel anxious or so aroused that you can’t focus, dial things down a notch.
B) Cultivate deep focus and perfect practice
•Define a purpose and concrete objectives each time you set out to do meaningful work.
•Focus and concentrate deeply, even if doing so isn’t always enjoyable.
•Remove distractors such as smartphones; remember that out of sight is truly out of mind.
•Do only one thing at a time. Next time you feel like multitasking, remind yourself that research shows it’s not effective.
•Remember that quality trumps quantity.
C) Work in discrete blocks
•Divide your work into blocks of 50 to 90 minutes (this may vary by task). Start even smaller if you find yourself struggling to maintain attention.
•If deep-focus work is new to you, start with blocks as short as 10 to 15 minutes. As you cultivate a deep-focus practice, gradually increase the duration you go deep.
•For almost all activities, 2 hours should be the uppermost limit for a working block.
D) Nurture a growth or challenge mindset
•Keep in mind that how you view something fundamentally changes how your body responds to it.
•In situations when you feel the sensation of stress, remind yourself that this is your body’s natural way of preparing for a challenge. Take a deep breath and channel the heightened arousal and sharper perception into the task at hand.
•Push yourself to view stress productively, and even to welcome it. You’ll not only perform better but also improve your health.
Have the Courage to Rest
A) Grow your mindful muscle with meditation so that you can more easily choose rest
•Find a time when other distractions are minimized, such as first thing in the morning, after brushing your teeth, or before going to bed.
•Sit in a comfortable position and, ideally, in a quiet space.
•Set a timer so you aren’t distracted by thoughts about the passage of time.
•Begin breathing deeply, in and out through your nose.
•Focus on nothing but your breath; when thoughts arise, notice them, but then let them go. Direct your focus back to the sensation of the breath.
•Start with just 1 minute and gradually increase duration, adding 30 to 45 seconds every few days.
•Frequency trumps duration. It’s best to meditate daily, even if that means keeping individual sessions short.
B) Apply your growing mindful muscle in everyday life
•Have “calm conversations” during stressful periods; remember that you are separate from the emotions and sensations that you are experiencing.
•Realize when you want to “turn it off” and then choose to leave stress behind. Taking a few deep breaths helps because it activates the prefrontal cortex, your brain’s command-and-control center.
C) Take smart breaks and let your subconscious go to work
•When you are working on a strenuous task and hit an impasse, have the courage to step away.
•Step away from whatever it is you were doing for at least 5 minutes.
•The more stressful the task, the longer your break should be.
•For really draining tasks, consider stepping away until the next morning.
•During your breaks, perform activities that demand little to no focus, such as going for a walk, or a shower.
• You may have an “aha” moment of insight during your break. If you do, great. Even if you don’t have an “aha” moment during your break, your subconscious mind is still at work. When you return to whatever it is you were doing, you’ll be more likely to make progress.
D) Prioritize sleep
• Reframe sleep as something that is productive.
• Aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. For those doing intense physical activity, 10 hours is not too much.
• The best way to figure out the right amount of sleep for you is to spend 10 to 14 days going to sleep when you are tired and waking up without an alarm clock. Take the average sleep time. That’s what you need.
E) Take extended time off
•Regardless of the work you do, take at least one off-day every week.
•To the extent that you can, time your off-days and vacations strategically to follow periods of accumulated stress.
•The more you stress, the more you should rest.
•On both single off-days and extended vacations, truly disconnect from work. Unplug both physically and mentally and engage in activities that you find relaxing and restorative.
2. PRIME FOR PERFORMANCE
Optimize Your Routine
A) Develop warmup regimens for important activities/performances
•Determine what state of mind and body your performance demands.
•Develop a sequence of activities that puts your mind and body in that state.
•Be consistent: Use the same routine each and every time you engage in the activity to which it is linked.
•Remember the impact of mood on performance; positivity goes a long way.
B) Create “a place of your own”
•Find physical spaces to dedicate to unique activities.
•Surround yourself with objects that invite desired behaviors.
•Consistently work in that same place, using the same materials.
•Over time, your environment will enhance your productivity on a deep neurological level.
C) Condition yourself to perform
•Link key behaviors to specific cues and/or routines.
•Be consistent and frequent; execute the same cue/routine every time prior to the behavior to which it is paired.
•If possible, link key activities to the same context (e.g., time of day, physical environment, etc.).
•If your pursuit requires variable settings, develop portable cues/routines that can be executed anywhere (e.g., a deep-breathing routine, self-talk, etc.).
•Consistency is king. The best routine means nothing if you don’t regularly practice it.
Design Your Day
A) Become a minimalist to be a maximalist
•Reflect on all the decisions that you make throughout a day.
•Identify ones that are unimportant, that “don’t really matter” to you.
•To the extent that you can, automate those decisions that don’t really matter. Common examples include decisions about:
Clothing
What to eat at meals
When to complete daily activities (e.g., always exercise at the same time of the day so you literally don’t need to think about it)
Whether to attend social gatherings (It’s not always a good idea, but during important periods of work, many great performers adopt a strict policy of saying no to social events), etc.
•Don’t devote brain power to gossip, politics, or worrying about what others think of you.
•Consider the second- and third-order effects (e.g., commute, financial pressures, etc.) of larger life decisions, such as where to live.
B) Match activities with energy levels
•Determine your chronotype (e.g., whether you are a morning lark or night owl).
•Design your day accordingly—be very intentional about when you schedule certain activities, matching the demands of the activity with your energy level.
•Protect the time during which you are most alert for “the most important work.”
•Schedule less-demanding tasks during periods in which you are less alert.
•Don’t fight fatigue! Rather, use this time for recovery and to generate creative ideas that you can act on during your next cycle of high energy and focus.
•Remember that working in alignment with your chronotype not only maximizes performance, it also ensures an appropriate balance between stress and rest.
C) Surround yourself wisely
•Recognize the enormous power of the people with whom you surround yourself.
•Do what you can to cultivate your own village of support so that you surround yourself with a culture of performance. Positive energy, motivation, and drive are all contagious.
•Remember that by being positive and showing motivation, you are not only helping yourself, you are also helping everyone else in your life.
•Don’t put up with too much negativity or pessimism. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
D) Show up
•There is no replacement for showing up, day in and day out, to hone your craft.
•Remember that attitudes often follow behaviors; sometimes the best thing that you can do is to simply get started.
3. HARNESS THE POWER OF PURPOSE
Transcend Your“self”
A) Overcome your ego
•Remember that your “ego” or “self” or “central governor” serves as a protective mechanism that holds you back from reaching your true limits. When faced with great challenges, your ego is biologically programmed to shut you down, telling you to turn in the other direction.
•By focusing on a self-transcending purpose, or a reason for doing something beyond your self, you can override your ego and break through your self-imposed limits.
•To the extent you can, link your activities to a greater purpose. This way, when you are faced with formidable challenges and your mind is telling you to quit, you can ask yourself why you are doing it. If the answer is “for someone or something greater than myself,” you’ll be more likely to push onward.
•Thinking less about your self is one of the best ways to improve yourself.
B) Enhance your motivation
•Recall that you are constantly balancing perception of effort, or how hard something feels, with motivation. Thus, if you want to endure more effort, you may need to increase your motivation.
•To increase motivation, link your work to a greater purpose or cause.
•Not only will focusing on activities that help others make the world a better place, it will also help make you a better performer.
•Think about why you are doing what you are doing, especially when you are feeling fatigued.
C) Give back to avoid burnout
•Find opportunities to give back in the context of your work. These can be more intensive activities like coaching and mentoring, or less intensive acts like posting sincere advice in online forums.
•The only criteria is that the giving is closely linked to your work and that you give without the expectation of getting anything back.
•While giving is especially powerful for preventing and reversing burnout, you should still aim to avoid burnout by supporting stress with appropriate rest.
Develop and Harness Your Purpose
A) Develop your purpose with these steps:
•Select your core values.
•Personalize your core values.
•Rank your core values.
•Write your purpose statement.
B) Strategically call upon your purpose
•Use visual cues to remind yourself of your purpose when you are most likely to need a boost.
•Develop a mantra based on your purpose and use it for self-talk when the going gets tough.
•Reflect on your purpose nightly (try using expressive writing). Think about how closely you lived in alignment with your purpose, striving to move closer to consistent alignment over time.
+++++
Do all of this, and do them well,
When all about you are watching Netflix,
And you will be ready for Peak Performance, my son.
-- Rudyard Kiping
October 9, 2017
The content could have easily been condensed to a blog post.
I have three main take-aways from the audiobook:
1) Use a good mixture of work and rest
2) Tap into the power of transcendental goals (that go beyond oneself)
3) Align your actions with your own personal values
I have three main take-aways from the audiobook:
1) Use a good mixture of work and rest
2) Tap into the power of transcendental goals (that go beyond oneself)
3) Align your actions with your own personal values
January 7, 2022
My thoughts on the issue:
> First, monotonous pursuit of excellence is not as cool as it's cracked up to be.
>> Second, succeeding at one thing doesn't readily mean we are going to succeed at every weeny thing we do.
>>> Third, young kids get into consulting and go on thinking: 'the world is my frigging oyster'. Then somethings goes not according to the plan and BAM! We have a kid researching 'peak performance'. Really, drawing cool presentations is no performance. Yes, it's a treasured skill in the modern world of infantile 'experts' but it shouldn't be confused with 'results results'.
>>>> Fourth, you try to turn into a machine, you might succeed for some time. Then you'll have your backlash. And you'll wish you were smarter from the start.
>>>>> Fifth, overmedicating is an evil trend. Uppers, downers, nootropics, all sorts of performance improvement substances are trash. None of us should be exposed to those.
>>>>>> Sixth, do different stuff. Do same stuff during enough time and with appropriate concentration. Then do something else.
Q:
Юный чудо-бегун так никогда и не смог пробежать ни на секунду быстрее, чем в тот летний день на Prefontaine Classic. А честолюбивый консультант не выдвинул свою кандидатуру ни на одну из выборных государственных должностей и не ста�� партнером уважаемой компании. На самом деле он ушел из Белого дома и с тех пор не добился никаких высот. Их звезды ярко зажглись лишь ради того, чтобы осветить пределы их возможностей, навредить их здоровью и истощить их силы. (c)
Q:
Но у этих онлайн-мегамагазинов есть и темная сторона: огромное количество уничтоженных ими рабочих мест. В действительности подъем Amazon означал падение и последующее банкротство некоторых из их конкурентов, например классической торговой сети книжных магазинов Borders. На пике своего успеха Borders давала работу примерно 35 тысячам человек. Теперь эти люди лишились работы. Но самая страшная часть истории в том, что сегодня Amazon – это куда больше, чем книги, а между тем компания начинает подумывать о том, чтобы доставлять товары с помощью не людей, а дронов. Ну и как? Вы все еще гордитесь своим статусом почетного клиента? (c)
Q:
И Вайцкин, и наиболее успешные студенты, и Лэмб практикуют то, что иногда называют «продуктивным провалом». (c)
Q:
> First, monotonous pursuit of excellence is not as cool as it's cracked up to be.
>> Second, succeeding at one thing doesn't readily mean we are going to succeed at every weeny thing we do.
>>> Third, young kids get into consulting and go on thinking: 'the world is my frigging oyster'. Then somethings goes not according to the plan and BAM! We have a kid researching 'peak performance'. Really, drawing cool presentations is no performance. Yes, it's a treasured skill in the modern world of infantile 'experts' but it shouldn't be confused with 'results results'.
>>>> Fourth, you try to turn into a machine, you might succeed for some time. Then you'll have your backlash. And you'll wish you were smarter from the start.
>>>>> Fifth, overmedicating is an evil trend. Uppers, downers, nootropics, all sorts of performance improvement substances are trash. None of us should be exposed to those.
>>>>>> Sixth, do different stuff. Do same stuff during enough time and with appropriate concentration. Then do something else.
Q:
Юный чудо-бегун так никогда и не смог пробежать ни на секунду быстрее, чем в тот летний день на Prefontaine Classic. А честолюбивый консультант не выдвинул свою кандидатуру ни на одну из выборных государственных должностей и не ста�� партнером уважаемой компании. На самом деле он ушел из Белого дома и с тех пор не добился никаких высот. Их звезды ярко зажглись лишь ради того, чтобы осветить пределы их возможностей, навредить их здоровью и истощить их силы. (c)
Q:
Но у этих онлайн-мегамагазинов есть и темная сторона: огромное количество уничтоженных ими рабочих мест. В действительности подъем Amazon означал падение и последующее банкротство некоторых из их конкурентов, например классической торговой сети книжных магазинов Borders. На пике своего успеха Borders давала работу примерно 35 тысячам человек. Теперь эти люди лишились работы. Но самая страшная часть истории в том, что сегодня Amazon – это куда больше, чем книги, а между тем компания начинает подумывать о том, чтобы доставлять товары с помощью не людей, а дронов. Ну и как? Вы все еще гордитесь своим статусом почетного клиента? (c)
Q:
И Вайцкин, и наиболее успешные студенты, и Лэмб практикуют то, что иногда называют «продуктивным провалом». (c)
Q:
December 15, 2017
I should have known better than to think that this book would have anything new in it, but nope--it's all the same stuff, Flow, Growth mindset, sleep, deliberative practice, etc. I have read most of the source research for this book so it was just a compilation of stuff I've read a hundred times from a hundred different articles and books in this field. But really, it's my fault that I keep picking up these soft behavioral psych books that regurgitate the same studies (that may or not even be replicable).
August 24, 2017
This was a fun, practical, short, inspiring book. Just enough research and storytelling to convince you that the few well-organized pieces of advice will really help you do better at life without burning out.
An ultra-condensed version of those pieces of advice:
To grow, you should alternate periods of stress and rest. Tackle "just manageable challenges" (you should not feel fully in control) on purpose, then rest on purpose.
-Work with single-minded focus in small time blocks (50-90 minutes ideal, 2 hours upper limit). Don't multitask and get your phone out of sight.
-View stress as expected and use it as extra energy - studies show that your outlook determines stress's effect, not the amount of stress itself.
-Rest often in short chunks (walks, nature, meditation work well, browsing social media doesn't) as well as longer rests ('sabbath', extended vacations).
-Sleep! 7-9 hours at least, 10 hours for intense physical activity. You get more done with sleep than without. To improve sleep, use your bed for sleep and sex only and keep your phone literally out of your bedroom.
Plan your routine and day
-Develop warmup routines and a 'place of your own' for your best work.
-"Become a minimalist to be a maximalist"-Eliminate non-important daily decisions if you can (clothing, food, schedule) and prioritize goals.
-Figure out when you're most alert (morning/evening) and do your most important work then.
Do some strategery
-Have uplifting, motivated friends (and be one). Studies repeatedly show that drive and positivity (as well as apathy and negativity) are extremely contagious.
-Stop thinking about yourself. Studies show that doing things for a purpose bigger for yourself can override your "central governor" and allow you to do more, better. Your body / mind are always balancing perception of effort with motivation, and motivation is strongest for something other than self.
-Develop purposes, remind yourself of it/them with visual cues, and evaluate your performance nightly
Studies I found particularly interesting:
-89% of college students experience "phantom vibration syndrome" (feel their phone vibrate when it didn't, or wasn't even there) (i.e. phone addiction is strong)
-screen time makes sleep harder (people who read from an ebook 4 hours before bed had a harder time sleeping than people who read from a paper book)
List of core values to use in creating your purpose (spend 20 minutes choosing 5, writing a sentence or two showing your specific goal for each, rank most to least important, then write a 1-3 sentence purpose statement). You might have a general life purpose statement, or a specific one (like a purpose for writing a book or doing a race).
-achievement, commitment, community,consistency, courage, creativity, education, efficiency, enjoyment, enthusiasm, expertise, honesty, independence, inspiration, kindness, loyalty, motivation, optimism, positivity, pragmatism, relationships, responsibility, security, self-control, spirituality, tradition, reliability, reputation, vitality.
An ultra-condensed version of those pieces of advice:
To grow, you should alternate periods of stress and rest. Tackle "just manageable challenges" (you should not feel fully in control) on purpose, then rest on purpose.
-Work with single-minded focus in small time blocks (50-90 minutes ideal, 2 hours upper limit). Don't multitask and get your phone out of sight.
-View stress as expected and use it as extra energy - studies show that your outlook determines stress's effect, not the amount of stress itself.
-Rest often in short chunks (walks, nature, meditation work well, browsing social media doesn't) as well as longer rests ('sabbath', extended vacations).
-Sleep! 7-9 hours at least, 10 hours for intense physical activity. You get more done with sleep than without. To improve sleep, use your bed for sleep and sex only and keep your phone literally out of your bedroom.
Plan your routine and day
-Develop warmup routines and a 'place of your own' for your best work.
-"Become a minimalist to be a maximalist"-Eliminate non-important daily decisions if you can (clothing, food, schedule) and prioritize goals.
-Figure out when you're most alert (morning/evening) and do your most important work then.
Do some strategery
-Have uplifting, motivated friends (and be one). Studies repeatedly show that drive and positivity (as well as apathy and negativity) are extremely contagious.
-Stop thinking about yourself. Studies show that doing things for a purpose bigger for yourself can override your "central governor" and allow you to do more, better. Your body / mind are always balancing perception of effort with motivation, and motivation is strongest for something other than self.
-Develop purposes, remind yourself of it/them with visual cues, and evaluate your performance nightly
Studies I found particularly interesting:
-89% of college students experience "phantom vibration syndrome" (feel their phone vibrate when it didn't, or wasn't even there) (i.e. phone addiction is strong)
-screen time makes sleep harder (people who read from an ebook 4 hours before bed had a harder time sleeping than people who read from a paper book)
List of core values to use in creating your purpose (spend 20 minutes choosing 5, writing a sentence or two showing your specific goal for each, rank most to least important, then write a 1-3 sentence purpose statement). You might have a general life purpose statement, or a specific one (like a purpose for writing a book or doing a race).
-achievement, commitment, community,consistency, courage, creativity, education, efficiency, enjoyment, enthusiasm, expertise, honesty, independence, inspiration, kindness, loyalty, motivation, optimism, positivity, pragmatism, relationships, responsibility, security, self-control, spirituality, tradition, reliability, reputation, vitality.
June 26, 2017
Wound up being a disappointingly shallow survey of a bunch of topics I'd mostly read about elsewhere in more detail. Might be a useful read for someone who hasn't run across a lot of these ideas before.
August 27, 2017
There's a passage on page 130 of Peak Performance that summarizes pretty much the entire book:
"During the process of writing this book, whenever we hit an impasse that we couldn't overcome with a standard break or, even worse, felt writer's block looming, we turned to reading our favorite books in genres similar to this one. In particular, The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal, PhD, Give and Take by Adam Grant, The Sports Gene by David Epstein, Quiet by Susan Cain, Drive by Daniel Pink, and Presence by Amy Cuddy.
This book feels like a summary of all those books in this genre. If you're not familiar with those works, Peak Performance is a good primer. If you are familiar with those authors, you'll have a sense of deja vu while reading familiar anecdotes pulled from other articles and best-sellers. I enjoyed this book because it provided good reminders from research (the importance of sleep, the stress + rest = growth response, the power of purpose) but it hardly breaks new ground.
"During the process of writing this book, whenever we hit an impasse that we couldn't overcome with a standard break or, even worse, felt writer's block looming, we turned to reading our favorite books in genres similar to this one. In particular, The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal, PhD, Give and Take by Adam Grant, The Sports Gene by David Epstein, Quiet by Susan Cain, Drive by Daniel Pink, and Presence by Amy Cuddy.
This book feels like a summary of all those books in this genre. If you're not familiar with those works, Peak Performance is a good primer. If you are familiar with those authors, you'll have a sense of deja vu while reading familiar anecdotes pulled from other articles and best-sellers. I enjoyed this book because it provided good reminders from research (the importance of sleep, the stress + rest = growth response, the power of purpose) but it hardly breaks new ground.
September 23, 2019
I like this book for two reasons – (1) it's short and (2) it's an amalgam of other great books on the subject.
Some of the key ideas are:
* Stress is important, as it causes growth. It will be hard to improve without applying stress to yourself.
* Rest is equally, if not more, important. It's easy to overlook and it's easier to skip. "Have the courage to rest".
* Practicing requires deep focus ("just 'practice' makes permanent; perfect practice makes perfect").
* Sleep is super important.
* Design your day and workplace around enhancing performance.
* Having a purpose beyond yourself helps.
* Giving back can help prevent burnout.
Some of the key ideas are:
* Stress is important, as it causes growth. It will be hard to improve without applying stress to yourself.
* Rest is equally, if not more, important. It's easy to overlook and it's easier to skip. "Have the courage to rest".
* Practicing requires deep focus ("just 'practice' makes permanent; perfect practice makes perfect").
* Sleep is super important.
* Design your day and workplace around enhancing performance.
* Having a purpose beyond yourself helps.
* Giving back can help prevent burnout.
July 7, 2017
Fantastic read about a topic of interest for me. Provides a lot of actionable tips and suggestions. Connects with all my favorite threads of Anders Ericsson, Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth in a science backed way.
December 29, 2017
يحوي الكتاب طرقا مثبتة علميا تزيد من الفعالية والإنتاجية والأداء
هذا الكتاب من الكتب الرائعة في هذا المجال
هذا الكتاب من الكتب الرائعة في هذا المجال
July 15, 2017
The science of ego depletion was known to be very dubious in 2016, yet here a chapter presents it without any disclaimer in 2017. Another chapter has an overly optimistic summary of Dweck's mindset research. When you get dubious one social psychology theory after another, it's hard to trust anything else in the book.
On the plus side, it did remind me that random reward reinforcement is really bad for me, and it's always good to be reminded.
On the plus side, it did remind me that random reward reinforcement is really bad for me, and it's always good to be reminded.
February 23, 2023
個人覺得作者提出的三大理論非常有道理，因為書裡運用許多日常生活的例子，讓讀者可以很容易地了解理論與實踐的方法。最實用的是，每章節都有條列式的小總結，讓讀到太忘我的時候還能補補筆記。
這本書我個人很推薦一讀，因為作者寫的很有條理，再加上這是作者自己很有熱情的領域(也就是所謂使命)，整部書的閱讀過程很順暢、也學到很多東西與訣竅。
這本書我個人很推薦一讀，因為作者寫的很有條理，再加上這是作者自己很有熱情的領域(也就是所謂使命)，整部書的閱讀過程很順暢、也學到很多東西與訣竅。
May 18, 2020
Everytime I read a non fiction book or self help book I start my reviews saying that I don't usually read this genre, and that most of the times what they offer is not groundbreaking, they're not reinventing the wheel, and this time is no different. But the way the content is presented, the theories, the examples and the parallels the authors construct between all different types of performance made this book particularly more interesting, memorable and digestible to me.
I really liked this little book, and the little snippets or summary at the end of each chapter makes it even more useful. I already see myself applying some of the techniques for performance that the book suggest and also I definitely see myself visiting it's pages from time to time when inevitable burn out occurs.
I recommend if you are looking for an extra incentive in any aspect of your life.
I really liked this little book, and the little snippets or summary at the end of each chapter makes it even more useful. I already see myself applying some of the techniques for performance that the book suggest and also I definitely see myself visiting it's pages from time to time when inevitable burn out occurs.
I recommend if you are looking for an extra incentive in any aspect of your life.
June 18, 2019
Kind of a mixed bag. I would suggest going straight to the summary and if there are subjects you want to know more about how they formed their conclusions, go read that particular chapter.
This was mostly information I have read in other books with uninteresting filler. There were a couple of a-ha moments but only a couple.
I would recommend Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin rather than this one.
This was mostly information I have read in other books with uninteresting filler. There were a couple of a-ha moments but only a couple.
I would recommend Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin rather than this one.
May 4, 2021
I'm migrating all my reviews to my blog. If you want to read the full review with my raw notes, check it here: https://pothix.com/peakperformance
A great book. I felt like it's a compilation of some good books I read in the past years. It was not a life-changing book for me but it was great to review the important info I collected in the past years. I would totally recommend this book as the first book for someone looking for performance improvement.
A great book. I felt like it's a compilation of some good books I read in the past years. It was not a life-changing book for me but it was great to review the important info I collected in the past years. I would totally recommend this book as the first book for someone looking for performance improvement.
December 25, 2017
This is one of the very best NF books I've ever read. I just kept thinking "I should have my son read this chapter." "I should have my daughter read this chapter." "This person would love this." By the end, I just decided that maybe everyone should read the entire book. It was very well researched, included all the right things, and presented perfectly.
Note to self: read yearly.
Note to self: read yearly.
August 30, 2021
Neilga ir gana aiški knyga. Daugiau skaitantiems apie poilsio, miego, rutinos reikšmę gali nebūti daug naujų dalykų, tačiau sudėliota gražiai bei tiksliai. Easy read.
September 13, 2023
"Have you ever felt pressure to perform? If you answered no, perhaps you’ve hacked some meditative, Zen-like trance. Or maybe you just don’t care much about, well, anything. In either case, this book probably isn’t for you. But if you answered yes, then you can consider yourself to be like just about everyone else on the planet. So read on!"
Peak Performance was an excellent examination of the topic. I will read just about any book on the fields of high performance, mastery, and/or mindset I can get my hands on, so I put this one on my list when I came across it. The authors did a great job with this presentation.
Co-author Brad Stulberg writes about health and the science of human performance. He is a columnist with Outside magazine and New York magazine and has also written for Forbes, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, Runner’s World, and The Harvard Public Health Review. Brad is widely known for his ability to merge the latest science with compelling personal stories, offering readers practical
insights that they can apply in their own lives.
Co-author Steve Magness is a coach to some of the top distance runners in the world, having coached numerous athletes to the Olympic Trials, World Championship teams, and the Olympics. He currently coaches at the University of Houston.
Known widely for his integration of science and practice, Steve has been on the forefront of innovation in sport. He serves as an adjunct professor of strength and conditioning at St. Mary’s University and has been a featured expert in Runner’s World, the New York Times, the New Yorker, BBC, the Wall Street Journal, and ESPN The Magazine.
Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness:
The book opens with an excellent intro, effectively setting the pace for the rest of the writing to follow. Both authors had great achievements in their youth; one in academia, the other in competitive running.
The authors tell the reader how their collaboration came to be, and the purpose of the book:
The writing in the book proper is as the title insinuates: That is, it is a fairly comprehensive guide on how to get better at your craft; whatever it may be. They cover all the bases here, and there is a ton of valuable, as well as actionable advice.
The book is presented as a mixture of the relevant modern science of each topic discussed, combined with case studies from history and the medical literature. I generally enjoy books presented in this fashion, and I feel that this formatting worked here, too.
Just a few of the people and topics covered here include:
• "Flow"; Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Dr. Anders Ericsson's "10,000 hour" rule; deliberate practice
• The fallacy of "multi-tasking"
• Mindfulness
• Rest; sleep, stepping back
• Burnout, fatigue
• Finding purpose
********************
Peak Performance was an excellent read that should be on the shelf of anyone interested in the topic.
An easy 5-star rating, and a spot on my "favorites" shelf. I would definitely recommend this one.
Peak Performance was an excellent examination of the topic. I will read just about any book on the fields of high performance, mastery, and/or mindset I can get my hands on, so I put this one on my list when I came across it. The authors did a great job with this presentation.
Co-author Brad Stulberg writes about health and the science of human performance. He is a columnist with Outside magazine and New York magazine and has also written for Forbes, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, Runner’s World, and The Harvard Public Health Review. Brad is widely known for his ability to merge the latest science with compelling personal stories, offering readers practical
insights that they can apply in their own lives.
Co-author Steve Magness is a coach to some of the top distance runners in the world, having coached numerous athletes to the Olympic Trials, World Championship teams, and the Olympics. He currently coaches at the University of Houston.
Known widely for his integration of science and practice, Steve has been on the forefront of innovation in sport. He serves as an adjunct professor of strength and conditioning at St. Mary’s University and has been a featured expert in Runner’s World, the New York Times, the New Yorker, BBC, the Wall Street Journal, and ESPN The Magazine.
Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness:
The book opens with an excellent intro, effectively setting the pace for the rest of the writing to follow. Both authors had great achievements in their youth; one in academia, the other in competitive running.
The authors tell the reader how their collaboration came to be, and the purpose of the book:
"What started out as a two-person support group morphed into a close friendship founded upon a shared interest in the science of performance. We became curious: Is healthy, sustainable peak performance possible? If so, how? What’s the secret? What, if any, are the principles underlying great performance? How can people like us—which is to say, just about anyone—adopt them?
Consumed by these questions, we did what any scientist and journalist would do. We scoured the literature and spoke with countless great performers across various capabilities and domains—from mathematicians to scientists to artists to athletes—in search of answers. And like so many other reckless ideas conceived over a few glasses of alcohol, this book was born..."
The writing in the book proper is as the title insinuates: That is, it is a fairly comprehensive guide on how to get better at your craft; whatever it may be. They cover all the bases here, and there is a ton of valuable, as well as actionable advice.
The book is presented as a mixture of the relevant modern science of each topic discussed, combined with case studies from history and the medical literature. I generally enjoy books presented in this fashion, and I feel that this formatting worked here, too.
Just a few of the people and topics covered here include:
• "Flow"; Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Dr. Anders Ericsson's "10,000 hour" rule; deliberate practice
• The fallacy of "multi-tasking"
• Mindfulness
• Rest; sleep, stepping back
• Burnout, fatigue
• Finding purpose
********************
Peak Performance was an excellent read that should be on the shelf of anyone interested in the topic.
An easy 5-star rating, and a spot on my "favorites" shelf. I would definitely recommend this one.
February 20, 2022
I needed this book. At the beginning of this year I was struggeling with my productivity, my masters thesis looming over me, far away, ungraspable doom, the ultimate test of my ability, the culmination of everything I have worked for in the past five years, instilling me with guilt for everything I did that was not working on the thesis.
Drama aside, this book really helped me. I does not reinvent the wheel, on the contrary, most of the things you read about you have probably heard before. Concepts as banal as "take a break". Actually, this concept makes up about 60% of the advice in this book. The thing it tells you in addition is how to take a productive break. Other concepts follow such as: develop a regimen, customize your workplace, remind yourself of your purpose/the purpose of your work, meditate, sleep for at least 7 hours.
As I've said, mostly banal stuff. But the way it is compiled makes it compelling. Highly recommended!
Drama aside, this book really helped me. I does not reinvent the wheel, on the contrary, most of the things you read about you have probably heard before. Concepts as banal as "take a break". Actually, this concept makes up about 60% of the advice in this book. The thing it tells you in addition is how to take a productive break. Other concepts follow such as: develop a regimen, customize your workplace, remind yourself of your purpose/the purpose of your work, meditate, sleep for at least 7 hours.
As I've said, mostly banal stuff. But the way it is compiled makes it compelling. Highly recommended!
July 26, 2017
I am finding it more and more shocking that editors are not monitoring misleading statements about poor science stated as fact. The scientists who are referenced in the book have received much appropriate criticism due to poor scientific rigor-Anders Ericsson, Amy Cuddy, Carol Dweck, and Angela Duckworth. For instance, by providing a platform for debunked scientists like Dr. Amy Cuddy and Dr. Angela Duckworth (among others in the book) the authors have demonstrated neither are content experts in the areas of psychology, sport psychology, and neuroscience. Discussions of power posing, mental toughness, grit, pre-race jitters being solved merely through getting social without valid proof via neurochemistry-never mind ignoring well established neurophysiology demonstrates poor research and book content. For a book claiming the latest on peak performance I expect much more than sound bites written in magazines. Both authors are mere examples of the death of expertise, a scientific journalist (oxymoron) and an exercise physiologist talking about content areas they are not experts within – another over estimation of abilities partly due to both authors having large social media platforms. Knowing a little bit about something does not mean expertise is obtained, expertise is more than a game of factoids. Take for instance the book The Power of Full Engagement, written by a Clinical Sport Psychologist and Exercise Physiologist working as transdisciplinary team and not acting 'as if' they have expertise they do not.
October 26, 2021
I borrowed this from the library, and when I finished immediately bought a copy and have put it in the list of books my kids will have to read before they leave my house--automatic 5 star.
If you have ever had someone say to you "I don't know how you do it" or your answer to the polite question of "how are you?" is either "busy" or "tired" 95% of the time, because you're lying to even try to respond with "fine" then get this book. If you're a homeschool/stay home mother of littles/full time working mom with a side hustle esp. a fine art sort of side hustle that calls on creativity, you likely need this book. If you are ready to give up on something you're legit talented at, you should read this.
I read this all the way through, and I'm doing everything wrong...but I knew that. I'm a mess...I'm writing this review at 12:30 am, so pretty obvious that's true. :) But it's the fact I've pulled more overnighters in my 30s and 40s when I NEVER did that in my teens or 20s that's probably the most telling! And I'm "this close" to quitting everything, and yet, I can't and don't want to. So, I also have to get this book to now use as a "which thing do I tackle next" because I won't remember all the things that I need to do and I certainly can't change things all at once. So, this review is not a review that can tell you "this worked", hopefully I'll update in a year or two, but this is a review saying everything rang true/had the research included to indicate it was true convincingly to the point I know I have to try all of it out because I want to have faith in the research backing it up, and some of it is also the common sense I've shoved aside that's led to burnout. Some stressors couldn't have been avoided, but I might have been able to keep some of the stress at bay if I'd had the advice of this book in hand.
Also, self help books tend to bore me. They are so often filled with repetitive stuff that I just shake my head at because I know the topic could have been handled in a succinct blog post--I recently read one of those--but you can't make money on a blog post, so they write a book. Not so this one, never did I think "get on with it." Every bit was well-written, informative, encouraging, or entertaining. And it tackled all different kinds of people and research, giving it a nice variety.
I am making this a high school book for my kids because I want them to know this stuff before they get out in the real word and burnout, I've certainly modeled that aspect of life for them enough. Sigh.
If you feel at all like you're burning your candle at both ends or have a very ambitious long term goal ahead of you. This book is worth reading.
Caveat: A handful of bad words. I think there was a pretty blatant one in the first chapter and the last, there were probably a few sprinkled in between that I don't remember. Information is worth it though, even if language is a deal breaker for you.
If you have ever had someone say to you "I don't know how you do it" or your answer to the polite question of "how are you?" is either "busy" or "tired" 95% of the time, because you're lying to even try to respond with "fine" then get this book. If you're a homeschool/stay home mother of littles/full time working mom with a side hustle esp. a fine art sort of side hustle that calls on creativity, you likely need this book. If you are ready to give up on something you're legit talented at, you should read this.
I read this all the way through, and I'm doing everything wrong...but I knew that. I'm a mess...I'm writing this review at 12:30 am, so pretty obvious that's true. :) But it's the fact I've pulled more overnighters in my 30s and 40s when I NEVER did that in my teens or 20s that's probably the most telling! And I'm "this close" to quitting everything, and yet, I can't and don't want to. So, I also have to get this book to now use as a "which thing do I tackle next" because I won't remember all the things that I need to do and I certainly can't change things all at once. So, this review is not a review that can tell you "this worked", hopefully I'll update in a year or two, but this is a review saying everything rang true/had the research included to indicate it was true convincingly to the point I know I have to try all of it out because I want to have faith in the research backing it up, and some of it is also the common sense I've shoved aside that's led to burnout. Some stressors couldn't have been avoided, but I might have been able to keep some of the stress at bay if I'd had the advice of this book in hand.
Also, self help books tend to bore me. They are so often filled with repetitive stuff that I just shake my head at because I know the topic could have been handled in a succinct blog post--I recently read one of those--but you can't make money on a blog post, so they write a book. Not so this one, never did I think "get on with it." Every bit was well-written, informative, encouraging, or entertaining. And it tackled all different kinds of people and research, giving it a nice variety.
I am making this a high school book for my kids because I want them to know this stuff before they get out in the real word and burnout, I've certainly modeled that aspect of life for them enough. Sigh.
If you feel at all like you're burning your candle at both ends or have a very ambitious long term goal ahead of you. This book is worth reading.
Caveat: A handful of bad words. I think there was a pretty blatant one in the first chapter and the last, there were probably a few sprinkled in between that I don't remember. Information is worth it though, even if language is a deal breaker for you.
March 15, 2021
I've read broadly in this genre. Peak Performance is one of its best offerings.
Yes. If you've read some of the books in this genre then you'll no doubt have heard many of the same anecdotes.
That said, it's easy to forget what you read when it comes to nonfiction. The repetition with new angles can be useful.
Peak Performance does an excellent job of wrapping up key points and memorable studies. The anecdotes are fascinating. They help you recall important fundamentals later.
The book deals with every facet of performance. If you are a performer who is obsessed with technique you will love this book. It does a great job of balancing the best findings from multiple researchers and giving actionable advice. If you apply the methods you will avoid burn out and stay on a higher level.
Yes. If you've read some of the books in this genre then you'll no doubt have heard many of the same anecdotes.
That said, it's easy to forget what you read when it comes to nonfiction. The repetition with new angles can be useful.
Peak Performance does an excellent job of wrapping up key points and memorable studies. The anecdotes are fascinating. They help you recall important fundamentals later.
The book deals with every facet of performance. If you are a performer who is obsessed with technique you will love this book. It does a great job of balancing the best findings from multiple researchers and giving actionable advice. If you apply the methods you will avoid burn out and stay on a higher level.
August 11, 2021
Loved the book. Very simple and practical tips based on research and experiments. Always good to reinforce these things and ensure high sustainable productivity with no burnout.
There are three sections in the book: The Growth Equation, Priming and Purpose covering various aspects of peak performance and how to achieve sustainable peak performance.
My major takeaways were -
• Systematically grow by alternating between Stress + Rest = Growth
• Define Purpose!!
• Work in discreet blocks
• The importance of having optimal routines
• Take smart breaks and have courage to step away
• Calm conversations during stressful periods
• Prioritize sleep!!!
• Take extended time off - unplug physically and mentally
• Become a minimalist to be a maximalist
• Surround yourself wisely
There are three sections in the book: The Growth Equation, Priming and Purpose covering various aspects of peak performance and how to achieve sustainable peak performance.
My major takeaways were -
• Systematically grow by alternating between Stress + Rest = Growth
• Define Purpose!!
• Work in discreet blocks
• The importance of having optimal routines
• Take smart breaks and have courage to step away
• Calm conversations during stressful periods
• Prioritize sleep!!!
• Take extended time off - unplug physically and mentally
• Become a minimalist to be a maximalist
• Surround yourself wisely
August 24, 2021
In terms of principles of "science of success and motivation" this book taught me nothing new. But to be fair, it brought on a lot of information in format of scientific researches, studies, stories and biographies of other people. Aside from that, it's good old same principles that you can find in any other self-help or popular psychology book, such as Atomic Habits, The One Thing, The Compound Effect etc...
But what sets this one apart is the delivery of each of those principles. It's well organized, straight to the point and with lots of supporting information and studies supporting each principle.
And it's nice to get reminded of such points from time to time. If your looking to improve your performance, in any aspect of life, work, sport, art - anything basically, I'm sure this book will have something helpful to offer.
But what sets this one apart is the delivery of each of those principles. It's well organized, straight to the point and with lots of supporting information and studies supporting each principle.
And it's nice to get reminded of such points from time to time. If your looking to improve your performance, in any aspect of life, work, sport, art - anything basically, I'm sure this book will have something helpful to offer.
January 10, 2020
Enjoyed this one, learned more than I thought I was going to and I'm already applying a good amount of it.
February 6, 2020
Take all the business and scientific books (and research papers) that have been written about drive, grit, stress, sleep, time management, etc etc... Here they are condensed into one succinct book that gets to the point. A good balance of practical advice and inspiring stories from a variety of fields, from athletics to art.
April 22, 2021
basics well explained
January 31, 2019
Summary -
Systematically grow by alternating between stress and rest. Stress yourself. Seek out just manageable challenges in areas of your life in which you want to grow. Just manageable challenges are those which lightly exceed your current abilities. If you feel fully in control make your next challenge a bit harder. If you feel anxious or so aroused that you can't focus, dial things down a notch.
Cultivate deep focus and perfect practice. Define a purpose and concrete objectives each time you set up to do meaningful work. Focus and concentrate deeply even if doing so isn't always enjoyable. Remove distractors, such as smartphones - remember that out of sight is truly out of mind. Do only one thing at a time - each time you feel like multitasking remind yourself that research shows it's not effective. Remember that quality trumps quantity. Work in discrete blocks - divide your work in blocks of 50 to 90 minutes - this may vary by task. Start even smaller if you find yourself struggling to keep focus and attention. If deep work is new to you start with shorter blocks of 10 to 15 mins, then gradually increase the duration. For almost all activities, two hours should be the upper most limit for a working block.
Nurture a growth or challenge mindset. Keep in mind that how you view something fundamentally changes how your body responds to it. In situations when you feel the sensation of stress, remind yourself that this is your body's natural way of preparing for a challenge. Take a deep breath and channel the heightened arousal and sharpened perception into the task at hand. Push yourself to view stress productively and even to welcome it. You'll not only perform better, but also improve your health.
Have the courage to rest. Grow your mindful muscle with meditation so that you can more easily choose rest. Find a time when the distractions are minimized such as first thing in the morning after brushing your teeth or before going to bed. Sit in a comfortable position and, ideally, in a quiet space, set a timer so you aren't distracted by thoughts about the passage of time. Begin breathing deeply in and out through your nose. Focus on nothing but your breath. When thoughts arise, notice them, but then let them go. Direct your focus back to the sensation of the breath. Start with just one minute and gradually increase duration, adding 30 to 45 seconds every few days. Frequency trumps duration - it's better meditating daily, even if you keep the sessions short. Apply your growing mindful muscle in your everyday life. Have calm conversations during stressful periods. Remember that you are separate from the sensations and emotions that you are experiencing. Realise when you want to turn it of and then choose to leave stress behind. Taking a few deep breaths helps because it activates the pre-frontal cortex, your brain's command and control center.
Take smart breaks and let your subconscious go to work. When you are working on a strenuous task, and find an impass, have the courage to step away. Step away from whatever it is you were doing for at least five minutes. The more stressful the task, the longer your break should be. For really challenging tasks, consider stepping away until the next morning. During your breaks, perform activities that require little to no focus - you should go on a short walk, sit in nature, meditate, recover socially, listen to music, take a shower, do the dishes. You may have an a-ha moment of insight during your break. If you do, great. Even if you don't have an a-ha moment when you're in your break, your subconscious mind is still at work. When you return to whatever it is you were doing, you'll be more likely to make progress.
Prioritize sleep. Reframe sleep as something that is productive and aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. For those doing intense physical activities, 10 hours is not too much. The best way to find out the appropriate amount of sleep for you is to spend 10 to 14 days going to sleep when you are tired and waking up without an alarm clock. Take the average sleep time, that's what you need. For a better night's sleep, follow these tips: ensure you expose yourself to natural, i.e. non electric light throughout the day, this will help you maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Exercise - vigorous physical activity makes us tired, when we are tired we sleep. But don't exercise too close to bed time. Limit caffeine intake and ban it completely six hours prior to bed time. Only use your bed for sleep and sex, not for eating, watching television, working on your laptop or anything else. The one exception is reading a paper book prior to bed. Don't drink alcohol close to bed time. Limit blue light exposure in the evening. Don't start working on demanding activities (physical or mental) after dinner. If you struggle with a racing mind, try inserting a brief mindful meditation session prior to bed. When you feel yourself getting drowsy don't fight it. Whatever you are doing can wait until the morning. Keep your room as dark as possible, if feasible, consider blackout blinds. Keep your smartphone outside of the bedroom entirely. Try taking a nap of 10 to 30 minutes to help restore energy and focus if you get a mid-afternoon lul.
Take extended time off. Take at least one off day every week. Time your off days and vacations strategically to follow periods of accumulated stress. The more you stress, the more you should rest. On off days and vacations truly disconnect from work physically and mentally and engage in activities that you find relaxing and restorative.
Prime for performance. Optimize your routine - develop warm up regimens for important activities/performances. Determine what state of mind and body your performance demands. Develop a sequence of activities that puts your mind and body in that state. Be consistent, use the same routine each and every time you engage in the activity to which it is linked. Remember the impact of mood on performance. Positivity goes a long way. Create a place of your own. Find physical spaces to dedicate to unique activities. Surround yourself with objects that invite desired behaviours. Consistently work at that same place using the same materials. Condition yourself to perform. Link key behaviours to specific cues and/or routines. Be consistent and frequent. Execute the same cue/routine every time prior to the behaviour to which it is paired. If possible, link key activities to the same context, for example, time of day, physical environment, etc. If your pursuit requires variable settings, develop a set of portable cues/routines that can be executed everywhere, for example, a deep breathing routine, positive talk, etc. Consistency is king. The best routine means nothing if you don't regularly practice it.
Design your day - become a minimalist to be a maximalist. Reflect on all the decisions that you make throughout a day, identify ones that are unimportant, that don't really matter to you. To the extent that you can, automate those decisions that don't really matter. E.g.: clothing, what to eat at meals, when to complete daily activities - for example, always exercise at the same time of the day so you don't need to think about it, when to attend social gatherings. Don't devote brain power to gossip, politics or worrying about what others think of you. Consider the 2nd and 3rd order effects, for example commute, financial pressure, etc of larger life decisions such as where to live. Match activities with energy levels. Determine your chronotype (lark/night owl) and design your day accordingly. Be very intentional about when you schedule certain activities, matching the demands of the activity with your energy levels. Protect the time when you are most alert for the most important work. Schedule less demanding tasks during periods when you are less alert. Don't fight fatigue, rather use this time for recovery and to generate creative ideas you can act on during your next cycle of high energy and focus. Remember that working in alignment with your chronotype not only maximises performance, it also ensures an appropriate balance between stress and rest.
Surround yourself wisely. Recognize the enormous impact of the people with whom you surround yourself. Do what you can to create your own village of support so that you surround yourself with a culture of performance. Positive energy, motivation and drive are all contagious. Remember that by being positive and showing motivation you are not only helping yourself you are also helping everyone else in your life. Don't put up with too much negativity or pessimism. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
Show up - there is no replacement for showing up, day in and day out, to hone your craft. Remember that attitudes often follow behaviours. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to simply get started.
Harness the power of purpose. Transcend yourself. Overcome your ego, remember that your ego serves as a protective mechanism that holds you back from reaching your true limits. When faced with great challenges, your ego is biologically programmed to shut you down, telling you to turn in the other direction. By focusing on a self transcending purpose, or a reason for doing something beyond yourself, you can override your ego and break through your self imposed limits. To the extent you can, link your activities to a greater purpose. This way, when you are faced with formidable challenges and your mind is telling you to quit, you can ask yourself why you were doing it. If the answer is for something or someone greater than myself you'll be more likely to push onwards. Thinking less about yourself is one of the best ways to improve yourself.
Enhance your motivation - recall that you are constantly balancing perception of effort and motivation. This if you want to endure more effort you may need to increase your motivation. To increase motivation, link your work to a greater purpose or cause. Not only focusing on activities that make the world a better place, it will also make you a better performer. Think about why you are doing what you are doing, especially when you are feeling fatigued. Give back to avoid burnout. Find opportunities to give back in the context of your work (e.g. coaching, mentoring, writing about it). The only criteria is that the giving is closely linked to your work and that you give without the expectation of getting anything back. While giving is especially powerful for preventing and reversing burnout, you should still aim to avoid burnout by supporting stress with appropriate rest.
Develop and harness your purpose. Select core values -> personalize core values -> rank core values -> develop your purpose statement -> strategically call upon your purpose, use visual cues to remind yourself of your purpose when you are most likely to need a boost. Develop a mantra based on your purpose and use it for self talk when the going gets tough. Reflect on your purpose nightly by using expressive writing. Think about how closely you live in alignment with your purpose, striving to move closer to consistent alignment over time.
Systematically grow by alternating between stress and rest. Stress yourself. Seek out just manageable challenges in areas of your life in which you want to grow. Just manageable challenges are those which lightly exceed your current abilities. If you feel fully in control make your next challenge a bit harder. If you feel anxious or so aroused that you can't focus, dial things down a notch.
Cultivate deep focus and perfect practice. Define a purpose and concrete objectives each time you set up to do meaningful work. Focus and concentrate deeply even if doing so isn't always enjoyable. Remove distractors, such as smartphones - remember that out of sight is truly out of mind. Do only one thing at a time - each time you feel like multitasking remind yourself that research shows it's not effective. Remember that quality trumps quantity. Work in discrete blocks - divide your work in blocks of 50 to 90 minutes - this may vary by task. Start even smaller if you find yourself struggling to keep focus and attention. If deep work is new to you start with shorter blocks of 10 to 15 mins, then gradually increase the duration. For almost all activities, two hours should be the upper most limit for a working block.
Nurture a growth or challenge mindset. Keep in mind that how you view something fundamentally changes how your body responds to it. In situations when you feel the sensation of stress, remind yourself that this is your body's natural way of preparing for a challenge. Take a deep breath and channel the heightened arousal and sharpened perception into the task at hand. Push yourself to view stress productively and even to welcome it. You'll not only perform better, but also improve your health.
Have the courage to rest. Grow your mindful muscle with meditation so that you can more easily choose rest. Find a time when the distractions are minimized such as first thing in the morning after brushing your teeth or before going to bed. Sit in a comfortable position and, ideally, in a quiet space, set a timer so you aren't distracted by thoughts about the passage of time. Begin breathing deeply in and out through your nose. Focus on nothing but your breath. When thoughts arise, notice them, but then let them go. Direct your focus back to the sensation of the breath. Start with just one minute and gradually increase duration, adding 30 to 45 seconds every few days. Frequency trumps duration - it's better meditating daily, even if you keep the sessions short. Apply your growing mindful muscle in your everyday life. Have calm conversations during stressful periods. Remember that you are separate from the sensations and emotions that you are experiencing. Realise when you want to turn it of and then choose to leave stress behind. Taking a few deep breaths helps because it activates the pre-frontal cortex, your brain's command and control center.
Take smart breaks and let your subconscious go to work. When you are working on a strenuous task, and find an impass, have the courage to step away. Step away from whatever it is you were doing for at least five minutes. The more stressful the task, the longer your break should be. For really challenging tasks, consider stepping away until the next morning. During your breaks, perform activities that require little to no focus - you should go on a short walk, sit in nature, meditate, recover socially, listen to music, take a shower, do the dishes. You may have an a-ha moment of insight during your break. If you do, great. Even if you don't have an a-ha moment when you're in your break, your subconscious mind is still at work. When you return to whatever it is you were doing, you'll be more likely to make progress.
Prioritize sleep. Reframe sleep as something that is productive and aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. For those doing intense physical activities, 10 hours is not too much. The best way to find out the appropriate amount of sleep for you is to spend 10 to 14 days going to sleep when you are tired and waking up without an alarm clock. Take the average sleep time, that's what you need. For a better night's sleep, follow these tips: ensure you expose yourself to natural, i.e. non electric light throughout the day, this will help you maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Exercise - vigorous physical activity makes us tired, when we are tired we sleep. But don't exercise too close to bed time. Limit caffeine intake and ban it completely six hours prior to bed time. Only use your bed for sleep and sex, not for eating, watching television, working on your laptop or anything else. The one exception is reading a paper book prior to bed. Don't drink alcohol close to bed time. Limit blue light exposure in the evening. Don't start working on demanding activities (physical or mental) after dinner. If you struggle with a racing mind, try inserting a brief mindful meditation session prior to bed. When you feel yourself getting drowsy don't fight it. Whatever you are doing can wait until the morning. Keep your room as dark as possible, if feasible, consider blackout blinds. Keep your smartphone outside of the bedroom entirely. Try taking a nap of 10 to 30 minutes to help restore energy and focus if you get a mid-afternoon lul.
Take extended time off. Take at least one off day every week. Time your off days and vacations strategically to follow periods of accumulated stress. The more you stress, the more you should rest. On off days and vacations truly disconnect from work physically and mentally and engage in activities that you find relaxing and restorative.
Prime for performance. Optimize your routine - develop warm up regimens for important activities/performances. Determine what state of mind and body your performance demands. Develop a sequence of activities that puts your mind and body in that state. Be consistent, use the same routine each and every time you engage in the activity to which it is linked. Remember the impact of mood on performance. Positivity goes a long way. Create a place of your own. Find physical spaces to dedicate to unique activities. Surround yourself with objects that invite desired behaviours. Consistently work at that same place using the same materials. Condition yourself to perform. Link key behaviours to specific cues and/or routines. Be consistent and frequent. Execute the same cue/routine every time prior to the behaviour to which it is paired. If possible, link key activities to the same context, for example, time of day, physical environment, etc. If your pursuit requires variable settings, develop a set of portable cues/routines that can be executed everywhere, for example, a deep breathing routine, positive talk, etc. Consistency is king. The best routine means nothing if you don't regularly practice it.
Design your day - become a minimalist to be a maximalist. Reflect on all the decisions that you make throughout a day, identify ones that are unimportant, that don't really matter to you. To the extent that you can, automate those decisions that don't really matter. E.g.: clothing, what to eat at meals, when to complete daily activities - for example, always exercise at the same time of the day so you don't need to think about it, when to attend social gatherings. Don't devote brain power to gossip, politics or worrying about what others think of you. Consider the 2nd and 3rd order effects, for example commute, financial pressure, etc of larger life decisions such as where to live. Match activities with energy levels. Determine your chronotype (lark/night owl) and design your day accordingly. Be very intentional about when you schedule certain activities, matching the demands of the activity with your energy levels. Protect the time when you are most alert for the most important work. Schedule less demanding tasks during periods when you are less alert. Don't fight fatigue, rather use this time for recovery and to generate creative ideas you can act on during your next cycle of high energy and focus. Remember that working in alignment with your chronotype not only maximises performance, it also ensures an appropriate balance between stress and rest.
Surround yourself wisely. Recognize the enormous impact of the people with whom you surround yourself. Do what you can to create your own village of support so that you surround yourself with a culture of performance. Positive energy, motivation and drive are all contagious. Remember that by being positive and showing motivation you are not only helping yourself you are also helping everyone else in your life. Don't put up with too much negativity or pessimism. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
Show up - there is no replacement for showing up, day in and day out, to hone your craft. Remember that attitudes often follow behaviours. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to simply get started.
Harness the power of purpose. Transcend yourself. Overcome your ego, remember that your ego serves as a protective mechanism that holds you back from reaching your true limits. When faced with great challenges, your ego is biologically programmed to shut you down, telling you to turn in the other direction. By focusing on a self transcending purpose, or a reason for doing something beyond yourself, you can override your ego and break through your self imposed limits. To the extent you can, link your activities to a greater purpose. This way, when you are faced with formidable challenges and your mind is telling you to quit, you can ask yourself why you were doing it. If the answer is for something or someone greater than myself you'll be more likely to push onwards. Thinking less about yourself is one of the best ways to improve yourself.
Enhance your motivation - recall that you are constantly balancing perception of effort and motivation. This if you want to endure more effort you may need to increase your motivation. To increase motivation, link your work to a greater purpose or cause. Not only focusing on activities that make the world a better place, it will also make you a better performer. Think about why you are doing what you are doing, especially when you are feeling fatigued. Give back to avoid burnout. Find opportunities to give back in the context of your work (e.g. coaching, mentoring, writing about it). The only criteria is that the giving is closely linked to your work and that you give without the expectation of getting anything back. While giving is especially powerful for preventing and reversing burnout, you should still aim to avoid burnout by supporting stress with appropriate rest.
Develop and harness your purpose. Select core values -> personalize core values -> rank core values -> develop your purpose statement -> strategically call upon your purpose, use visual cues to remind yourself of your purpose when you are most likely to need a boost. Develop a mantra based on your purpose and use it for self talk when the going gets tough. Reflect on your purpose nightly by using expressive writing. Think about how closely you live in alignment with your purpose, striving to move closer to consistent alignment over time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2019
Very interesting book to help you to do exactly what the title says: "Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success." This book will truly help you find your "Peak Performance."
Would definitely recommend to everyone!
Would definitely recommend to everyone!
July 4, 2023
If you have never read a book on optimal performance and how to get there, this is a great book that covers nearly everything you could want. But, if you have lived through trying to improve and optimize your performance and/or have read books on similar things, then nearly everything in this book you will already know well. Still an enjoyable read and a good refresher on certain strategies and concepts.
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