Optimum Drive: The Road Map to Driving Greatness Optimum Drive

by Paul F. Gerrard

Optimum Drive ─ Why should you just be good when you can be great?

Attaining peak performance: Optimum Drive is a motivational book that uses top level race car driving as a metaphor for peak performance. As a professional racing driver himself as well a driving coach for over 20 years, the author Paul F. Gerrard has penned his unique perspective on what causes people to stagnate with the idea of being merely good, when each of us has the potential to be great. Gerrard believes that peak performance is within our grasp. He lays out his step-by-step process for attaining peak performance with detailed nuance threaded throughout. If you have ever been curious about maximizing your own ultimate potential, Optimum Drive is for you!

Mental toughness: Greatness is as hard to quantify as it is to achieve…probably not a coincidence. In this debut book, Optimum Drive, professional driver Gerrard helps you understand the mental toughness that it takes to reach that greatness. He starts off by taking you onto the track as he explores what driving at 200 mph can teach us about who we are. Using his experiences from behind the wheel at death-defying speeds, Gerrard breaks down the psychology of driving, what it takes, and how we can use it to achieve greatness in life.

Flow psychology and staying in the zone: The key to the mental toughness that Gerrard believes it takes to achieve peak performance is the nirvana-like sensation of flow psychology or being in the zone. Flow psychology, or being in the zone, is a mental state in which one who is performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and joy. It is through flow psychology that Gerrard introduces a blend of holistic mindset combined with a competitive edge, which is essential to successful professional driving. This mix of guts, tenacity and endurance is the foundation of Gerrard’s philosophy for attaining greatness.

Natural vs. earned talent; After flow psychology, you will learn about natural vs earned talent and how the way we drive is representative of who we are. From braking, cornering and accelerating to anticipation vs. reaction, refining a process that defines our greatness in or out of the car.

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2017

About the author

Paul F. Gerrard is an accomplished professional racing driver, published best-selling author (Optimum Drive released 2017), precision/stunt driver, advanced driving instructor, vehicle evaluator and presenter. His career started in Europe winning a prestigious Winfield Scholarship that lead to successfully racing formula cars in both Europe and the United States. He made the transition into racing sports cars and simultaneously started instructing a wide range of drivers from military special forces to aspiring racers to teen drivers. Next on his progression was television appearing as an automotive expert and driver on shows such as Grand Tour, Top Gear (UK and US editions, US Stig for 8 years, 2008-2016), MythBusters, Speedmakers, Supercars Exposed, Ultimate Factories and many others. He has presented on every automotive topic imaginable and specializes in make technology and driving easy to understand for people at any level. Paul is also a sought after expert witness in high-level automotive court cases. He has continually raced winning several national championships along the way racing everything from Pikes Peak to just about every professional road racing series (Volvo Factory driver 2004-2008) continuing all the way to being ranked number three in the world in vehicle jumping distance for a 2010 Hot Wheels Stunt. Also under his belt is over two decades of racing driver coaching and director level responsibilities at some of the most advanced racing schools in the world. While his passion is and always was racing, Paul has cultivated and created a career that allows him to not only enjoy his passion but do something that is perhaps even more satisfying… share that passion for what he considers the most accessible and highest level mechanical interaction possible… a car and our uniquely human ability to connect with it.

Reviews

[Ruben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell yeah

[Nicholas Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone pursuing performance driving or looking for a logical, effective path to improve themselves.

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but brief. Paul certainly has the knowledge and skills, and I appreciate his approach to teaching as much as to driving. I think this book will make every other driving book better.