Peak Performance

Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, And Thrive with The New Science of Success

Take your game to the next level, whatever your game may be. Uncovering the unique and powerful insights that underlie performance across domains.

ABOUT THE BOOK

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 make them accessible to everyone.

The first book of its kind, Peak Performance combines inspiring stories of top performers across a range of domains – from athletic to intellectual to artistic – with the latest science on the cognitive, neurochemical, and physiological factors that underlie mastery. The result is an entertaining read that links traditionally-siloed fields and relies upon real science. In doing so, Peak Performance uncovers unique and powerful insights that can help you take your game to the next level, whatever your game may be.

HOW TO BUY PEAK PERFORMANCE

This is a transfixing book on how to sustain peak performance and avoid burnout. Stulberg and Magness have worked with (and been) elite achievers and they combine that rich experience with the science of success to share actionable insights...

—Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals

So much in this book resonates with me. With practical advice for performance in the workplace or on the playing field, Brad and Steve meticulously deliver a comprehensive understanding of peak performance and how to achieve it.
—Dick Costolo, CEO of Chorus, formerly CEO of Twitter

Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness have written an essential playbook for success, happiness, and getting the most out of ourselves and our lives.

—Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive and The Sleep Revolution

What do top performers actually do to make themselves great? Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness are here with some powerful answers. From rethinking stress to transcending your "self," the ideas in Peak Performance will help you become better than you ever imagined.

—Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of Drive

Brad Stulberg is my favorite health and science writer and Steve Magness is a deeply thoughtful coach of champions. They are the perfect team to show us, through principles that are applicable to just about anyone and anything, how we can get the most out of ourselves and do so in a healthy and sustainable manner.

—Amy Cuddy, Associated Professor at Harvard Business School and New York Times bestselling author of Presence

Brad Stulberg is one of my favorite writers on two of my favorite topics: physical and mental performance. This book brings them together.

—Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of Obstacle is the Way

Peak Performance provides actionable insights from the cutting-edge research on how people excel. This book will be a must-read for anyone who wants to up their game, transcend their boundaries, and get out of their comfort zone.

—Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. bestselling author of The Willpower Instinct and The Upside of Stress

What do great artists, champion athletes, and brilliant researchers have in common? More than you'd expect, as Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness reveal in this magnificent silo-breaking synthesis of the hidden patterns that enable great performance across disciplines.

—Alex Hutchinson. Runner's World "Sweat Science" columnist and bestselling author of What Comes First: Cardio or Weights?

Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness are one-percenters when it comes to skill in translating high-performance science for the public. 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

PRAISE FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE

"This is a transfixing book on how to sustain peak performance and avoid burnout. Stulberg and Magness have worked with (and been) elite achievers, and they combine that rich experience with the science of success to share actionable insights."

Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals

"Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness are one-percenters when it comes to skill in translating high performance science for the public. 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

"Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness have written an essential playbook for success, happiness, and getting the most out of ourselves and our lives."

Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive and The Sleep Revolution

"What do top performers actually do to make themselves great? Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness are here with some powerful answers. From rethinking stress to transcending your "self," the ideas in Peak Performance will help you become better than you ever imagined."

Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of Drive

"Brad Stulberg is my favorite health and science writer and Steve Magness is a deeply thoughtful coach of champions. They are the perfect team to show us, through principles that are applicable to just about anyone and anything, how we can get the most out of ourselves and do so in a healthy and sustainable manner."

Amy Cuddy, New York Times bestselling author of Presence

"So much in this book resonates with me. With practical advice for performance in the workplace or on the playing field, Brad and Steve meticulously deliver a comprehensive understanding of peak performance and how to achieve it."

Dick Costolo, CEO of Chorus, formerly CEO of Twitter

"Brad Stulberg is one of my favorite writers about two of my favorite topics: physical and mental performance. This book brings them together."

Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy

"Brad Stulberg is one of the most gifted science writers of our times, a master at translating fascinating findings into concrete strategies. Peak Performance provides actionable insights from the cutting-edge research on how people excel. This book will be a must-read for anyone who wants to up their game, transcend boundaries and get out of their comfort zone."

Kelly McGonigal, Stanford psychology instructor and author of The Willpower Instinct and The Upside of Stress

"What do great artists, champion athletes, and brilliant researchers have in common? More than you'd expect, as Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness reveal in this magnificent silo-breaking synthesis of the hidden patterns that enable great performance across disciplines."

Alex Hutchinson, Runner's World "Sweat Science" columnist and author of What Comes First: Cardio of Weights?

"Peak Performance provides the roadmap you need to transcend your limitations, unleash your inner greatness and, most importantly, sustain it over time. An absolute must read for anyone interested in unlocking potential to become your best self!"

Rich Roll, author of Finding Ultra.

“Peak Performance is a must read for anyone hoping to grow and achieve success in any area of their life. Relatable and readable, it identifies the skills and disciplines successful people have in common and teaches us what we can do to achieve the success that we want. I am excited to put what I have learned to use in my running and beyond.”

Kara Goucher, Two-Time Olympic Marathoner.

"Full of inspiration and information, Peak Performance is a must-read for anyone dedicated to self-optimization. I will be reading and re-reading this book for years to come."

Matt Billingslea, Internationally Acclaimed Drummer.