The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World

by Brad Stulberg

The definitive book on 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



Defining, living, and working in alignment with your valuesCultivating focus and concentrationThe power of prioritizing consistency over intensityBuilding durable confidenceThe connection between mastery and matteringDeveloping the courage to care deeplyDesigning environments that support excellenceSelecting goals based not just on what you want to achieve, but on who you want to becomeOvercoming 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 othersApplying 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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Philosophy, Psychology, Personal Development, Productivity, Audiobook

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

Brad Stulberg researches, writes, and coaches on performance, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He is the bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness, Master of Change, and co-author of Peak Performance. Stulberg regularly contributes to the New York Times and his work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic, among many other outlets. He serves as the co-host of the podcast "excellence, actually" and is on faculty at the University of Michigan. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Follow him on Instagram and Threads @Bradstulberg and X @Bstulberg

Reviews

[Sharon]

He makes some good points but honestly, it felt like an extended Hallmark card. And he kept repeating the same things over and over how important it is to show up how important it is to have community how important it is to etc. etc.

[Rick]

Derivative. Could have been a TEDTalk. Combines maybe a dozen of the main concepts from self-help/improvement books over the last 15 years into a summarized long-form article. First half on theory is the best part.

[Nicole]

I think this is a good, thoughtfully constructed survey of ideas that are popular in the personal development space. The author is eloquent and intentional in how it’s presented and the ideas build nicely.

My criticism is that there was little added to the topic by this book. The myriad examples were all familiar ones and I would have appreciated some freshness in the stories that supported his points.

My favorite parts were ones I had saved on Instagram already. I wish more of those bangers (like the idea of your identity being like a house) had filled the book.

The chapter on rest was excellent and presented a framework that was both original and helpful.

Overall a decent read and I have recommended it to others with a few caveats.

[marissa]

I don’t want to be too harsh but if you’re claiming to be an expert in excellence enough to write a book about it- I’m going to be a tough critic.

Overall you can tell it’s written from a white male perspective in that he brings nothing new or groundbreaking- just pulling other people’s quotes into one place. He won’t stop brining up weightlifting and how much he loves to write and exercise, but the book isn’t about you guy, it’s supposed to be about “the way of excellence”. Also he quoted Jerry Seinfeld twice—of all the people you can quote, really?? And then towards the end brought up Caitlin Clark getting drunk with her teammates after a loss as an example of “community.” Like what?? There were a few good things I could pull from it but overall would not recommend.

[Jake Grogin]

Could have been a 10 page Article

[Samuel C]

Yet another book that could’ve been a Twitter thread. No one to blame but myself.

[Jeffrey]

Trust me, I'm not shooting for anything resembling "True Greatness", but this book has some good practical advice on getting focused in this attention economy.

[Devin Pool]

Really good. I would recommend it to anyone jn the mood for the topic of improving life, happiness, and mastering skills

[Alicia]

I really enjoyed the book’s exploration of striving for excellence. I initially equated excellence with perfection, but the author makes it clear that the two are not the same. Excellence is about pursuing what truly matters to us, guided by our values and goals. While it can look different for everyone, this book thoughtfully covers the foundational elements of a satisfying life.

If you’ve read self-help books before, some concepts may feel familiar, but I still took away a great deal that I plan to apply to everyday life. My biggest takeaways were the importance of getting clear on my values and goals, practicing discipline in my actions, being patient with the time growth requires, embracing the process and curiosity, and putting myself out there more to build community.

If you’re looking for an inspirational yet practical book that helps simplify what’s truly needed to achieve personal growth, I’d definitely recommend this one.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

[Lindsey Hein]

Brad does such a great job researching and sharing good news about how we can indeed pursue excellence without overdoing it. I love his work and will always read his books!

[Nick Ihrke]

Shares a lot of the same DNA as groundedness, but Stullberg has improved as a writer. A great and thorough survey of the mechanisms and traits that underlie excellence. My favorite sections were on care, trade-offs, and gumption.

Fun to pair this with the war of art as stephen pressfield and stullberg have overlapping but not identical visions of excellence.

The only place that tasted weird to me was the chapter on failure where stullberg takes a brave rhetorical swing. I don’t know if he pulls it off.

[Connie Richardson]

This is a book I will be thinking about for a while. Stulberg includes various testimonies of excellence, and practical steps to achieve excellence in your life, without it becoming all-consuming. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to make the most of their time and talents.

[Alexandra Bro]

I have read all of Brad Stulberg’s books, follow him on social media, and listen to his podcast. I love the way he talks about excellence, progress, and caring, and this is my favorite book of his. Thank you for writing this. Please continue.

[Lada]

Stulberg is someone whom Derek Thompson managed to make sound interesting on his podcast, but at 25% there was no new idea in this book. Worse, it haphazardly pointed to really exceptional individuals (the same ones that bad self-help books keep pointing to: Roger Federer, Alex Honnold), his own life experience, and then arbitrary statements that sound good but don't hold up (e.g. as a hobbyist woodworker I can say that wobbly legs are not a huge concern when making tables, but there are lots of other interesting challenges that make woodworking really absorbing).
I also take issue with Persig, whom Stulberg praises (and maybe equates Persig's concept of "quality" with his own "excellence"). ZatAoMM is a book about a father who doesn't bother to listen to, let alone connect, with his teenage son on a long journey, and instead lectures him incessantly, finally betraying him by unnecessarily putting in the book that the son crapped his pants.
If you're into Persig, and being lectured at by plausible sounding BS based on anecdotes, maybe you'll be into Stulberg.

[Charles]

A lot of good wisdom contained in this brief book about what excellence is and is not, and how we can pursue it. A lot of this wisdom comes with life experience.

[Eric Nehrlich]

I enjoyed Stulberg’s perspective because he put into words some things I had been feeling but couldn’t fully describe as somebody who has spent my life in the pursuit of excellence across a number of activities, and who has experienced the aliveness and joy that Stulberg describes as a biological imperative.

The reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that this book is not going to be useful to somebody seeking a how-to guide for excellence. It is more of a philosophical musing on the characteristics of excellence, and the foundations on which excellence can be built, and is thus more abstract and less tactical than many books. I found myself skimming through much of the second half of the book as it was too general to be helpful.

[Chip Campbell]

Headline for this review is required

I follow this author on Insta for his wholesome, non-toxic takes on physical fitness and personal development that cuts against a lot of the manosphere BS. This book is pretty full of that same content - relatively practical, grounded advice about how to consistently work and aspire towards excellence. Probably missing a bit of the secret sauce of storytelling and humour that makes a book like this more fun, but still a good read.

[Mehdi]

just soooo repetitive, some good points but the tldr is basically yeah do hard things but not too hard, be disciplined but also give yourself rest, and flexing on social media isn't true excellence. not anything groundbreaking but idk what i was looking for

[Melissa]

A nice summary of standard self-help advice. The audiobook is great motivational material to listen to while getting things done.

[Mihaela C]

Good, not great. But sometimes that’s the point — light, comforting, and an easy escape when you don’t want to think too hard. Would recommend for a lazy weekend or a long flight.

[Travis Standley]

This book is nothing short of excellent. Each topic resonates with me. Excellence is in the long game. Highly recommend!

Stulberg’s central argument is that excellence isn’t a destination or a level of achievement; it’s a deeply fulfilling process of becoming. He distinguishes genuine excellence from what he calls pseudo-excellence—hustle, hacks, status chasing, perfectionism, and external validation.

His framework covers:

1. Redefining excellence — Excellence is not simply winning or being the best. It’s challenging yourself in worthwhile endeavors, focusing on what matters, and expressing your unique qualities.
2. Biology of excellence — Humans have a fundamental drive toward growth, competence, and mastery.
3. Psychology of excellence — Excellence is connected to motivation, confidence, attention, meaning, and identity.
4. Philosophy of excellence — The pursuit itself can make life more meaningful; excellence is about how you live, not merely what you accomplish.
5. Care deeply — One of the book’s major ideas is developing the courage to care. Excellence requires vulnerability because caring means you can fail.
6. Goals — Choose goals not merely for what they will allow you to achieve, but for who they will require you to become.
7. Consistency over intensity — Sustainable excellence comes from repeated effort rather than occasional heroic effort.
8. Focus — Excellence requires protecting attention in an environment deliberately designed to fragment it.
9. Discipline and renewal — Discipline isn’t endless grinding. Rest, renewal, and recovery are part of the process.
10. Confidence — Durable confidence comes from accumulating evidence that you can trust yourself, rather than constantly needing outside affirmation.
11. Patience — Mastery takes time, and excellence requires remaining committed when progress is invisible.
12. Gumption — You need initiative and willingness to act, especially when there isn’t certainty.
13. Curiosity — Excellence depends upon remaining a learner rather than becoming attached to what you already know.
14. Failure — Failure isn’t evidence that you’re not excellent; it’s part of becoming excellent.
15. Community — Excellence isn’t ultimately an individual achievement. Teams, communities, coaches, mentors, and relationships matter.
16. Completion — Finishing and contributing matter. Excellence isn’t simply endless self-improvement.

[Jung]

"The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World" by Brad Stulberg reframes excellence as something far more grounded and sustainable than the dramatic, all-or-nothing pursuit we often imagine. Instead of treating excellence as a distant finish line or a rare trait reserved for elite performers, the book presents it as a deeply human way of engaging with life. It argues that excellence is not about short bursts of intensity or external validation, but about consistently aligning your actions with what truly matters to you. In a world full of distractions, pressure, and burnout, this perspective offers a calmer, more enduring path to both achievement and fulfillment.

At its core, the book defines excellence as the intersection of mastery and meaning. Humans are biologically wired not just to survive, but to grow, improve, and contribute. This natural drive shows up in our desire to learn new skills, refine existing ones, and pursue goals that feel worthwhile. The journey toward excellence follows a familiar progression - from not knowing what you don’t know, to struggling with awareness, to practicing deliberately, and eventually to reaching a level where skill becomes second nature. This process is often uncomfortable, but it is also deeply satisfying because it reflects something fundamental about how humans are built.

Beyond biology, the book highlights how excellence addresses many of the psychological struggles of modern life. Feelings like burnout, emptiness, and disconnection often arise when our daily actions drift away from our core values. When we repeatedly choose short-term comfort over long-term meaning, we create internal conflict. Excellence, in contrast, brings alignment. By engaging deeply in meaningful work - whether in a career, relationships, or personal growth - we experience a sense of grounding, purpose, and clarity that cuts through the noise of a chaotic world.

To walk this path, the author emphasizes a set of essential mindsets. The first is care - the willingness to genuinely invest in something that matters. Caring is risky because it makes us vulnerable to failure and disappointment, but it is also what makes the journey meaningful. Focus is another critical mindset, especially in an age where attention is constantly fragmented. Developing the ability to concentrate deeply, even for short periods, becomes a powerful advantage. Discipline follows, bridging the gap between intention and action. Rather than waiting for motivation, those who pursue excellence act first, allowing motivation to emerge from consistent effort.

Confidence, as described in the book, is not about arrogance or blind belief. It is built through evidence - through showing up, doing the work, and gradually proving to yourself that you can handle challenges. Alongside this is what the author calls 'gumption,' a mix of enthusiasm and resilience. It allows you to stay engaged over time, accepting that there will be ups and downs while continuing to move forward.

While mindsets shape how we think, habits determine how we act. The book stresses that excellence is built through consistent behaviors rather than occasional bursts of effort. Thoughtful goal setting provides direction, but goals should serve as guides, not obsessions. Routines help translate those goals into daily practice, though they must be personalized rather than copied from others. Consistency is perhaps the most important habit of all - focusing on showing up regularly rather than performing perfectly. Instead of chasing peak performance, the emphasis is on raising your baseline, ensuring that even your average days contribute to progress.

Equally important is the habit of renewal. Rest and recovery are not optional; they are essential for sustaining long-term effort. Activities like walking, spending time in nature, connecting with others, and getting adequate sleep play a crucial role in maintaining both physical and mental well-being. Curiosity also emerges as a powerful habit, helping you stay engaged over time by reframing challenges as opportunities to learn rather than obstacles to avoid.

As the journey continues, the book introduces broader practices that support excellence over the long term. One key idea is accepting trade-offs. It is not possible to excel in every area of life simultaneously, and trying to do so often leads to burnout. Instead, life can be approached in seasons, where different priorities take focus at different times. Another important practice is valuing community. While self-improvement often emphasizes individual effort, relationships provide support, perspective, and meaning that no achievement can replace.

Failure and patience are presented as unavoidable companions on this path. Setbacks are not signs of inadequacy but necessary parts of growth. Similarly, meaningful progress takes time, often longer than we would like. What sustains effort through these challenges is joy - the ability to find satisfaction in the process itself rather than postponing happiness until a distant goal is reached. Celebrating progress through small rituals of completion helps reinforce this mindset, allowing you to appreciate how far you’ve come instead of constantly chasing what’s next.

In conclusion, "The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World" by Brad Stulberg teaches that excellence is not something you achieve once and for all, but something you practice every day. It is less about extraordinary moments and more about ordinary actions done with intention and consistency. By aligning your efforts with your values, balancing discipline with rest, and embracing both struggle and joy, you create a path that leads not only to success but also to a deeply satisfying life.

[vercinakos]

Najlepšia „motivačná" kniha. Po tejto už pravdepodobne žiadnu čítať nebudem. Obsahuje všetko, čo človek potrebuje. Opisuje všetko, čo by človek mal urobiť. Ísť cestou excelentnosti, aj keď, nie v úplnom slova zmysle. Veriaci môžu povedať ísť cestou svätosti, iní zase cestou dokonalej satisfakcie so svojou prácou a sebou samým. Táto cesta nemá cieľ. Je to nekonečná púť, ktorá nás vedie k našim lepším verziám. A keďže my ľudia nie sme dokonalí a ani nikdy dokonalí nebudeme, je to proces, ktorý nemá konca. Zaoberať sa ním by sa však mal každý.

Výnimočná práca, ktorá ku mne prišla počas olympiády v Miláne. Vďačím jej za mnohé ;).

[Gary Duszynski]

The author delivers an outstanding gift to any reader blessed to read this gem! Everyone wants to be excellent but few feel they have what it takes to get there. Brad Stulberg provides the guide and insight to enable you to make the most of your hopes, fears and dreams to make one’s life the best it can be as you define it.

[Jan Paul]

No new concepts yet a great review of what we need to achieve some of our goals. At the very least become better people. I liked the chapter summaries for a quick review and to spark motivation when needed.

[Scott Monnard]

In a of 'result-driven' society, this book reaffirms that we should be consumed with a 'process-driven' process instead.

[Abby Haley]

I really enjoyed this book. The theme of excellence as “involved engagement in worthwhile pursuits that support your values and goals” was a good invitation to consider and define what my values and goals actually are and take ownership of pursuing them on purpose.

[Alex]

A bit ironic that a book on excellence is so mediocre. It’s fine. Just not EXCELLENT.

[Sean McGorty]

“There are seeds of excellence in all of us. Our work is to discover which ones respond best to nourishment.”

[Caroline]

2.75 ⭐️s. 27/100. A good read but nothing insanely groundbreaking.