The Way of Excellence

A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World

By: Brad Stulberg

Narrated by: Will Damron

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER USA TODAY BESTSELLER NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB MUST READ

The definitive book on excellence: a practical guide to creating, contributing, and actualizing your potential amid the craziness of modern life, from bestselling author Brad Stulberg

"An absolutely beautiful book."—Steve Kerr, nine-time NBA Champion; Coach of the Golden State Warriors and Team USA

Whether you are practicing guitar, pushing your limits at the gym, leading a team, honing a craft, studying medicine, or giving yourself the time and space to finally write that book, the pursuit of excellence is a big part of what makes life worth living—and it is for all of us. Unlike "pseudo-excellence," which is about hustle culture and hacks, genuine excellence is about challenging yourself in worthwhile endeavors, focusing on what matters most, and expressing the unique qualities that make you who you are. Too often, we get caught up in convenience and distraction to the detriment of our true potential. The good news is that we can set ourselves on a better path, one that includes more aliveness and resonance, more connection to self and others.

Here, Stulberg finds convergence between modern science, age-old philosophy, and daily practice to explain that we are wired to strive for excellence—it is what we are here to do, core to our humanity. Yet our environment often works against us. The path he shares to reclaim excellence means learning about:

• Defining, living, and working in alignment with your values
• Cultivating focus and concentration
• The power of prioritizing consistency over intensity
• Building durable confidence
• The connection between mastery and mattering
• Developing the courage to care deeply
• Designing environments that support excellence
• Selecting goals based not just on what you want to achieve, but on who you want to become
• Overcoming the traps, pitfalls, and barriers to excellence including alienation, chasing a never-ending supply of dopamine, and addiction to external validation and the opinions of others
• Applying the principles and insights of excellence to one's organizations and communities

At its core, excellence is a deeply-fulfilling process of becoming—the best performer, and person, you can be.

Very much like the rest of Stulberg’s books

All in all the content is good, but in many ways it’s a repacking of his other books into a new form. Sometimes I literally checked that I hadn’t clicked the wrong title while listening because it’s so similar to other books he’s written. I recommend this one as long as you haven’t read much of his other stuff. If you have read his other stuff, pass on this one.

An all-timer on excellence; one for the ages

This will quickly become the go-to book on the pursuit of excellence for serious people. It’s well-researched, soulful, and practical. It goes into what excellence is and what excellence is not, explains why humans are wired to strive and create and contribute and grow, and then the majority of the book outlines the key factors for excellence and shows us how to develop them. I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t find great value in this this book. It’s the easiest audible credit I’ve spent in years.

Excellent

Brad's take on excellence is an excellent one. Very helpful practical tips while also giving the big picture.

A solid reminder

I found this to be an enjoyable reminder on what matters—and how to practically live that out.

a great focus on what's important

a great listen on where to focus your time and energies and who to spend your time with.