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Peak Performance - A Book About Growth Through Effective Stress and Rest

Book Description:

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 writer 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 learn how to enhance their performance via myriad ways including optimally alternating between periods of intense work and rest; priming the body and mind for enhanced productivity; and developing and harnessing the power of a self-transcending purpose.

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.

My Top Takeaways: 

  • This book covers three key principles:
    • 1. Stress + Rest = Growth
    • 2. The Importance of Optimizing Routines
    • 3. Living a Purpose Driven Life
  • 10,000 hours does NOT lead to mastery in any area since it could just mean we did the same thing 10,000 times and are no better than when we started. Growth results from seeking out "just-manageable challenges" in given areas that push us to learn and become better.
  • Playing music to relax and practicing music to have fun do not accomplish the same thing. Practice is difficult and pushes us to our limits. Sometimes it's not fun and often will leave us feeling drained, but it also leads to growth.
  • Rest following periods of Stress is crucial for growth. Rest is not simply avoiding work though. For instance, you're technically not working while swiping through social media or watching TV, but it's also typically not restful and doesn't lead to growth. We need to rest in ways that allow our subconscious freedom to work, which includes activities like walking, sitting in nature, listening to music, and meditation.
  • Sleep is productive and necessary. Most people need between 7 and 10 hours of sleep, but the best way to figure out your optimal amount of sleep is to spend two weeks going to bed when you feel tired and waking up without an alarm. Take the average over those days to figure out your ideal amount of needed sleep.
    • Good sleep hygiene includes:
      • Limiting caffeine intake 12 hours prior to bedtime.
      • Exercise during the day, but not within two hours of going to sleep.
      • Only use your bed for sleep and sex.
      • Limit blue light during evening hours and make your bedroom as dark as possible.
      • Keep your cell phone out of the bedroom.
  • The greater the stress you put yourself through the more time you should take off for rest. Unplug when you rest for maximum relaxation and restoration.
  • Condition yourself to perform by linking key behaviors and environments to specific cues and/or routines. For example, you can say specific things or perform a specific stretch right before hitting a work block.
  • Design your day for success and achieve maximum results by acting like a minimalist. Identify things that don't matter and either automate or get rid of them. For instance, ignore gossip, delete wasteful social media, get rid of your TV, and simplify your clothing, food, and morning routine options.
  • If you want to be successful then surround yourself with successfully minded people, entertainment, and environments. Being around pessimism and negativity sucks and it is likely to lead to negative chain reactions.
  • Struggling with feelings of burnout? Give back and serve others.
  • Find a purpose greater than yourself and make it impossible to forget. I took principles from this book and built an exercise to help our employees unlock their own purpose/mantra. Want to go through it yourself?

'The 52 Book' Review Rating:

Final Thoughts:

Peak Performance was an accidental purchase that I'm very happy about. My dad told me about an awesome-sounding book called Peak that he recommended I add to my library. I ordered it right away... or at least I thought I did. It turns out Peak and Peak Performance are not the same books, but from what I can tell they teach very similar principles and even pull from the same research. I'll read Peak soon and let you know my thoughts, but for now, let's focus on Peak Performance.

The authors, Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness are similar in that they both started off as incredibly high performers and then burned out and peaked at an early age. They ended up meeting in a bar and started talking about what caused their ascents to burn out in an effort to find the secret to continuous improvement - the new science of success.

They found it!

This book helps correct and complete what Malcolm Gladwell teaches in his well-known book, Outliers: The Story of Success. While Gladwell's concept of 10,000 hours to mastery was fun and catchy, it was incomplete and led many to think that all they had to do was "put in the time" to become great at something. Obviously, that's not true.

Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness did a wonderful job interweaving research and stories to show us what it takes to become great at whatever we're passionate about, as well as how we can better find what we're passionate about.

Do you love learning and want to hear about future books?

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Have you read Peak Performance, and if so, what are your thoughts?

Also, I am always on the prowl for my next great book. What life-changing books have you read recently? I'm excited to see your comments below.


You can reach out to David Inman at: david@kennected.io 
You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at: 
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA

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