• Peak Performance

  • Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success
  • By: Brad Stulberg, Steve Magness
  • Narrated by: Christopher Lane
  • Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (8,766 ratings)

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Peak Performance  By  cover art

Peak Performance

By: Brad Stulberg, Steve Magness
Narrated by: Christopher Lane
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Publisher's summary

Winner of the 2018 Audie Award for Best Business/Personal Development Audiobook

"A transfixing book on how to sustain peak performance and avoid burnout" ― Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Option B, Originals, and Give and Take

"An essential playbook for success, happiness, and getting the most out of ourselves." ― Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive and The Sleep Revolution

"I doubt anyone can read Peak Performance without itching to apply something to their own lives." ― David Epstein, New York Times bestselling author of The Sports Gene

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 listeners will learn how to enhance their performance via myriad 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 listeners 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.

©2016 Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness. (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., under license from Rodale Inc. All rights reserved.

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What listeners say about Peak Performance

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    6,375
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    1,663
  • 3 Stars
    442
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    44

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good, but

Take breaks
Sleep enough
Meditate
Exercise

There, I saved you an Audible credit.

Although the part about mission is good, it's a short portion of the book.

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741 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Ok but not ground breaking

What did you take away from Peak Performance that you can apply to your work?

This provided some simple, usable suggestions on how to avoid getting burnt out.

Any additional comments?

Although this book gave examples of 'peak performance' from both a physical/sports aspect and a work/profession, I found it to be very myopic in that it did not provide any insight on how to handle real world stressors and work-life balance.

The book spoke to opportunities for achievement as 'stressors' and did not touch on how important it is to be able to have a fulfilling work life AND personal life. A lot of the 'peak performer' examples given this book are of people who literally secluded themselves from family and friends to ensure their success. Those people seem to have the luxury of doing such a thing while most people do not.

The book did not give examples of what these peak performers did when their ass was on the line at work and then something horrible happened at home, or vice versa, and they are still *required* to perform in both areas. Those are the real life 'stressors' I was hoping to gain some insight on and not whether I should consider only having one set of clothes in my closet to avoid decision fatigue. How about the big decisions like either I take off work to take my child to the doctor, or I risk losing a project, or getting fired, because it may be given to someone who leadership believes to be more committed to their job?

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127 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Everything in this book is valuable

As someone who is becoming disillusioned with most things self-help, I was pleasantly blown away here. This book offers to the point, scientifically backed insight into getting the most out of yourself and contribute to society in a healthy way. Very good narration does the material justice. Totally worth a credit.

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112 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Nothing new

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

This book is an overview of others' research. If you're familiar with the likes of Kelly McGonigal, Anders Ericsson, Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, Benedict Carey, Thomas M. Sterner etc. then you will be disappointed. If you're not familiar with them then this is an OK summary of some of their popular ideas although I would recommend reading the original works of the above researchers/writers.

Has Peak Performance turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. But I would research who the author is more diligently.

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93 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Took Stephen Covey's 7 Habits to the next level

I really enjoyed this book! It took Stephen Covey's 7 Habits to the next level by helping you simplify your mission statement and put it into action through suggestions and good examples. I especially liked the suggestion to make your goals and life purposes focused on serving others. There were many other pearls as well. Enjoy the read and thank you Marty Vaughn for recommending it!

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65 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

pulling performance ideas from many sources

I listened to the audio book, which I enjoyed. the authors did a great job of pulling performance-enhancing concepts from many disciplines and weaving then together well...the effect was to show different dimensions of an idea (e.g., how rest affects performance). this format could have been disorienting but was well-executed.

I particularly liked the summaries at the end of each chapter and the book itself; these helped to reinforce the practical steps to peak performance and kept the book from being an abstract thought-piece

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30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

For those who feel stuck

Loved it. As a musician, it reminds me of my days preparing for my final undergraduate recital and what kept me motivated.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

If you could sum up Peak Performance in three words, what would they be?

Insightful, action-orientated, powerful

What did you like best about this story?

The combination of great research, lively story telling, useful examples and practical application.

What does Christopher Lane bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Clear and easy to follow with great pace.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES

Any additional comments?

Anyone who whats to be more effective in sports, business or life should read this book. It is the best book I have listened to in 2016 (along with Stretch)

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23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best among sea of similar books

Easy to listen and provided advices are realistic to implement on daily basis. Have listened multiple such books and this is the best so far.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

solid book

A solid book with a wrll structured message. my reason for not giving 5 stars was the non original content. (most everything in this book i have already seen in other books, and it used thr exact verbage) I also think the ending was s bit rushrd. a worth while read in all though.

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18 people found this helpful