“Highlights the mental strategies elite athletes employ to get an edge on their competition.”—The New York Times
Now in paperback, with an all-new foreword: competition-tested cognitive strategies to help triumph over any obstacle
If you ask research psychologist Noel Brick and bestselling fitness writer Scott Douglas, the “dumb jock” stereotype is way out of bounds. No world-class athlete succeeds without a strong mental game, including unique ways of analyzing situations, self-motivating, and even thinking about time. Cutting-edge discoveries (some by Dr. Brick himself) reveal how champions do it—and how we can, too.
Brick and Douglas pair groundbreaking science with instructive moments across the sports realm to show how legendary athletes like marathoner Meb Keflezighi, World Cup champion soccer player Megan Rapinoe, and Olympian Michael Phelps stay on top of their game. Whether it’s sticking the landing at a job interview or racing your thesis to the finish line, Strong Minds is a slam-dunk approach for accomplishing anything.
Publisher’s note: Strong Minds was previously published in hardcover as The Genius of Athletes.
“The biggest limits are the ones in your head—which is why this remarkable and authoritative roadmap to the amazingly versatile tools of modern sports psychology is so powerful and widely applicable. Clearly explained and rigorously researched, this book will help you take practical steps to unlock your full potential.”—Alex Hutchinson, New York Times–bestselling author of Endure
“Required reading for ambitious dreamers, this is the training toolkit I didn’t know I needed. [Strong Minds] is the mental equivalent of lacing up your sneakers next to a trusted teammate—it’s guaranteed inspiration to get you up and moving in the right direction.”—Beck Dorey-Stein, author of the New York Times bestseller From the Corner of the Oval
“The benefit of sports for people with busy lives and demanding careers is not simply about keeping in shape or the pounds off. Brick and Douglas show that the genius of athletes isn’t just in their physical successes, but what they can teach us about managing a life, not overthinking things, and how to keep trekking even when quitting seems the obvious course.”—Juliette Kayyem, senior lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School and former Assistant Secretary, Department of Homeland Security
“Essential cross-training for your mind, revealing the secrets of athletic success, applicable to chasing personal bests, a promotion, or anything else worth your striving.”—Deena Kastor, Olympic medalist and author of the New York Times bestseller Let Your Mind Run
“Offers concrete insights that can be applied to everyday life, whether you consider yourself an athlete or not.”—Brad Stulberg, bestselling author of Peak Performance