Next Play: How to Focus on What Matters Most and Improve Performance, Productivity, and Fulfillment

by Alan Stein Jr.

What’s your Next Play? An elite performance coach reveals the life-changing two-word philosophy for simplifying success. Drawing from lessons learned alongside NBA greats (Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant) and top brands (Pepsi, Charles Schwab, American Express, Spotify, Starbucks), Alan Stein Jr. lays out 34 simple strategies and 35 practical exercises to help you focus on what matters most, improve performance and productivity, and live a more fulfilled life.

232 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[martyn benny · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Next Play, Alan Stein Jr. delivers far more than another productivity book he offers a philosophy for navigating work, leadership, and life with greater clarity and purpose. Rather than overwhelming readers with complicated systems, Stein distills high performance into a deceptively simple principle: focus completely on the next action you can control.

Drawing from his experience working alongside elite athletes such as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant, Stein demonstrates that exceptional performance is rarely built on dramatic breakthroughs. Instead, it emerges through consistent execution, resilience, and the discipline to stay present regardless of setbacks or distractions.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its accessibility. Each chapter combines memorable stories with practical strategies and exercises that readers can immediately apply to improve productivity, decision making, leadership, and personal fulfillment. Whether you're leading a team, building a business, pursuing athletic goals, or simply trying to manage everyday challenges more effectively, the lessons feel universally relevant.

What makes Next Play particularly compelling is its emphasis on mindset over motivation. Stein reminds us that success isn't determined by dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about future outcomes, but by committing fully to the next decision, the next conversation, the next opportunity, and the next step forward. That perspective is both empowering and remarkably freeing.

The writing is engaging, conversational, and packed with actionable wisdom without ever becoming preachy. Readers looking for sustainable improvement rather than quick fixes will find themselves returning to its lessons long after finishing the final chapter.

Next Play is an inspiring and practical roadmap for anyone seeking higher performance with less overwhelm. It's a valuable reminder that extraordinary results are achieved one intentional choice at a time, making it an excellent resource for leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, athletes, students, and anyone committed to continuous personal growth.

[Synthia Salomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blinkist app book of the day

Next Play (2025) introduces a simple mindset shift for personal and professional growth: what just happened matters less than what you’re doing right now. It presents practical strategies across seven key areas – from building self-awareness and developing an abundance mindset to mastering basics and strengthening relationships. Rather than chasing external achievements, it shows how fulfillment comes from making intentional daily choices.

[Nicholas Paulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stein Jr.’s words continue to resonate, inspire, and motivate. With Next Play, he is able to draw from personal experience as well as his wealth of knowledge and exposure to concisely convey ways to shift our mindsets ever so slightly which lead to profound changes in our habits. I look forward to implementing many of the ideas into my own life as my professional basketball career winds down and into the next stages of my life. My Next Play will be my best play!

[Jonathan Mariani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was a quick and easy listen and it was short enough that it just felt like a podcast. I subscribe to the so what next play mentality fo begin with, but this helps give some insights on how you can better do that, or get others to buy into that, or integrate into your daily life. Well done.

[Greg Waddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm know I'm biased, but Alan's message(s) always resonate with me.

[Heather Grunert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for anyone looking to level up their life in personal or business! Love the sports analogies and examples!! Lots of great tips to incorporate daily.