The Comeback Quotient: A Get-Real Guide to Building Mental Fitness in Sport and Life

by Matt Fitzgerald

A good comeback makes a great story. In The Comeback Quotient , sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald shares the stories of top athletic comebacks, to give you inspiration and tools for your own comeback in sport or life.

Every sports fan loves a great comeback. Is there a special quality shared by top athletes who triumph over great challenges? And can anyone acquire it? In The Comeback Quotient , celebrated sportswriter Matt Fitzgerald supplies the answer to both questions. He identifies these mega-achievers of astounding athletic comebacks as “ultrarealists,” men and women who succeed where others fail by fully accepting, embracing, and addressing the reality of their situations. From ultrarunners like Rob Krar to triathletes like Mirinda Carfrae to rowers, skiers, cyclists, and runners all over the world, Fitzgerald highlights and speculates on just what makes these comebacks so compelling. As for whether anyone can stage his or her own great comeback, the answer is a resounding Anyone can become an ultrarealist to some degree. In the tradition of his best-selling How Bad Do You Want It? , The Comeback Quotient combines gripping sports stories with mind-blowing science to deliver a book that will forever change how you perceive the challenges you face, giving you the inspiration and the tools to make the next great comeback you witness your own.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Psychology, Audiobook, Fitness, Self Help, Health

224 pages, Paperback

Published November 2, 2023

About the author

Matt Fitzgerald is the author of numerous books on sports history and endurance sports. He has enjoyed unprecedented access to professional endurance athletes over the course of his career. His best-sellers include Racing Weight and Brain Training for Runners. He has also written extensively for Triathlete, Men's Fitness, Men's Health, Outside, Runner's World, Bicycling, Competitor, and countless other sports and fitness publications.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Molly Seidel on the cover, I expected her to be a more fully developed character in the book. Although she is not, readers get insider views at the comebacks of revered long-distance athletes Geoffrey Kamworor, Mirinda Carfrae, Joan Benoit; others you should know but maybe don't: Petra Majdic, Katherine Grainger; and also Matt Fitzgerald's clients. And you learn about Molly on page 165 (of 198) as well as the legendary Lionel Sanders and Paul Thomas.

The book is driven by individual stories. It's an easy read that likely will confirm what you already know to be true about success. The Comeback Quotient follows this formula: accept, embrace and address. Fitzgerald suggests simple and measurable ways to make yourself into an ultra-realist to build your mental fitness. If you're not interested in sports, Fitzgerald encourages you to view the entire book as a metaphor for whatever you want to achieve. 

First, Fitzgerald draws our attention to what prevents us from achieving: fear and laziness (sour grapes syndrome), cognitive bias, and ego defense. He then directs us to what helps embody ultra-realism in order to achieve our biggest goals: an internal locus of control (focus on what you can control, censor yourself, pivot from problem to solution, don't think in all or nothing, ask for help), a growth mindset (just do the work, it doesn't all have to happen today, check the box and move on), and positivity/gratitude. As there is no one way to come to these things, Fitzgerald suggests exploring different paths. Readers will be able to identify with his suggestions (meditation, recovery, positive people and coaches/teams). Of course, knowing your what (a goal), your why (motivation and commitment) and your how (improvisation and belief) are instrumental. 

Fitzgerald also explains how to be a beast: non-entitlement, a focus on the controllable, being comfortable with uncertainty, narrativizing. This book, like building our mental fitness, will be about enjoyment. And also about realizing that we can all be everything we want to be; we just need to define our best self, be an open book, surround ourselves with people who appreciate us, take responsibility, and help others.

[Niki Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this one on today’s 8km run and I must say, I am feeling alive again. It started raining at around kilometre 4 and the overarching message behind embracing the mindset of an ultra realist was the perfect reminder of why I run, and how grateful I am that I get to.

Not to mention, the final chapter began with a quote from my guy Haruki Murakami: I can bear any pain as long as it has meaning.

This has been my favourite book from Matt so far.

Matt’s blend of sharing athletic accomplishments of some of the world’s greatest endurance athletes with the backing of scientific research on their comebacks from a setback and what it means to be an ultra realist was incredibly well done. Every story was just as fantastic as the next.

I’ll keep repeating myself on this point, but it’s so beyond inspiring to hear these stories and learn what humans are capable of. It’s hard to finish these types of books and not feel like you can also go out and accomplish something amazing.

[Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over the holidays and I could not stop reading. It felt like I was discovering something that I had always known and the author was describing it to me. By applying positive psychology to endurance sports, the author takes us through real stories of athletes that overcome different levels of setbacks by accepting, embracing, and addressing the situation; basically making lemonade from lemons. The author calls these athletes: ultra realists. I enjoyed the stories because I was familiar with many of them. And I liked to read about them from an ultra realism angle. I also liked how the author intercalates in every chapter his own story about his preparation for Ironman Santa Rosa, and realized that he was applying these principles to overcome his injuries and setbacks to end up having great experience. In my opinion, the best thing about the book is that it can be applied to both sports in particular, and life in general. Applying features such as: non-entitlement; focus on the controlable; being confortable with uncertainty; and narrativizing will help you, more than becoming a beast, to overcome any obstacles and transform what it was meant to be a terrible ending into a happy ending. I highly recommend this book, which can be specially helpful for everybody in these times of pandemic.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book on sports psychology. Through inspirational tales of triumph over adversity interwoven with psychological theory, the author makes a compelling case for the power of mental resiliency in sport, and better yet, offers very concrete advice to build that resiliency. Broadly, that advice can be boiled down to:
1) Accept the situation - clearly see what is happening
2) Embrace the situation - make a plan to do the best you can in light of what is happening
3) Commit to executing the new plan

As a chronically injured runner, hearing stories of amazing comebacks of all kinds was exactly what I needed to get me through some punishing cross-training sessions as I take time off of running to let a nagging injury calm down. I have been able to apply these steps to re-frame my perspective and adjust my training the best I can to accommodate the injury, even though that training is lonely, boring, time-consuming, and overall way less fun than running.

A quote that really stuck out to me "Find a way, don't force a way [sic]."

Definitely recommend this for anyone who loves endurance sport, but struggles with injury (or any other setback).

[Ben Cliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Matt Fitzgerald's work, and I feel confident in saying this is his best book yet. Interwoven with illustrative stories, with the added touch of progress updates on his own "comeback", this is an inspiring read. What's more, I sent an email to Matt saying as much, plus a recommendation of somebody to interview regarding this book, and he sent a very kind reply and has been in touch again to say he's followed up on my tip! Lovely guy.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend for any of my endurance athlete friends - really interesting psychology and a lot of practical information that I felt I could apply to myself. Feel like this book had a lot of messages that I needed to hear at this moment in my athletic journey - looking forward to using the lessons learned this year! (Audiobook)

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent writing, but profound content (hence 5 star review). Reflecting on my own journey, I can see that my greatest successes came when I exercised ultrarealism, and my disappointments have been the result of self-sabotage. Lots to embrace and apply from this book.

[Libby Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interestingly, this coincided with a book I was reading on Stoicism. I do think a lot of what Matt writes about in this is Stoicism in more words.

I enjoyed a lot of the studies referenced and, as always, the accounts of his own training were my favourite.

[Tarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting scientific facts, philosophy, and anecdotes on realistic thinking for life and athletic pursuits.

[Cher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book included a plethora of anecdotes from athletes known to have had severe struggles such as Joan Benoit Samuelson, Molly Seidel, and Gabe Grunewald. It is an important read with relation to mental health as an athlete.

The stars I docked were mainly because it got very dry at points, and because while there was some discussion of success bias, more pages could have been devoted to that also, as well as about setting actually realistic goals. I'd have liked to have seen more partial comeback stories, such as those of Julia Stamps and Melody Fairchild, as well.

[Lyubov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful book for those who wants to improve their mental game. Lots of valuable information. I listened to audio book, but I also got a paper copy to reread and highlight

[Paul Kulyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting book about pivoting. But I don't think he uses that word.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Matt Fitzgerald. Grateful that there are audiobook versions of his books because they make for great listening during marathon training. This one was full of inspiring stories of athletes facing unthinkable setbacks and refusing to let it stop them from striving to make the best of it. This book has helped me to understand my relationship with running better and realize that I used to use sports in a very unhealthy way: as self-punishment, as a way to seek control over my life, as a way to prove myself, and as a mental escape. This book helped me to reframe the way I think about lots of things in running and life more generally. For example, I used to regret not taking up endurance running when I was younger, because I think I would have been really good at it (and it would have been a hell of a lot easier to qualify for Boston in my twenties compared to at 41). I tried to see the silver lining of my late-arrival to marathoning and had a realization while listening to this book (in the middle of a ten mile run in 90ºF heat), that if I had pursued running in my more youthful days I probably would have approached it with an unhealthy and obsessive attitude. Although I probably would have been good it would have come at a cost, and now I would be lamenting the loss of the runner I used to be, rather than striving to be the runner I know I still am. I am a better runner and a better person because I discovered the marathon when I did. In training and out I'll keep trying to implement the lessons of this book to realize that in everything, with no exceptions, there is always a choice of how I react to and deal with every situation.

[PJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book during a time when I was dealing with a minor injury, looking to find a deeper meaning in it. What I found in this book was much more than how to frame a small injury in the scheme of a training block. I learned how to deal with larger setbacks in the scheme of life, through the stories of many inspiring athletes including Gabe Grunewald, Molly Seidel, and Kara Goucher. Through all of these stories author, Matt Fitzgerald, highlights the individual’s ability to be what he calls an “ultra-realist”. By identifying, accepting, and embracing their realities, whether positive or negative, these athletes were able to have inspiring comebacks. Not because they held themselves to their previous standards of success, but because they embraced their realities and altered their definitions of success. One really powerful anecdote that struck me was the story of Viktor Frankl, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, who explained that man’s greatest need in life is to find meaning. As he was laying tracks in the work camp in his bare feet, he was imagining himself still doing what he loved, not letting the Nazis take away his freedom of imagination. I think his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” may be next on my list.

[Grace Saccone · Rating 5 out of 5]

For athletes and non-athletes alike, The Comeback Quotient is a good read. Fitzgerald includes stories that everyone would be moved by, as well as the psychology and science to create a full picture of his perspective on “ultrarealism”. I read this book at a pivotal point, as I step back from competitive sport myself (for now), but the content of the book is not confined to athletes-it’s a framework for how to deal with any situation of adversity, in sports and everyday life the same. It’s a reminder that sport is a potent teacher for life, and that mental fitness is not just important in the throes of sport.

The 5th star was gained in the final chapter of this book, where we were reminded that not all comebacks are successful, in the conventional definition of success. That we can do everything “right” and there is a power outside of our control that grants us the opportunities or lack thereof that define our life. This book beautifully describes in theory and with moving stories that the comeback can never fail, really, that it’s entirely dependent on the perspective you carry and the narrative you create. That addressing reality, however harsh it may be, and making meaning out of suffering, is integral to making the best of any situation.

[Meg Lurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad I bought a copy because I ended up bookmarking so many inspiring comeback stories, strategies, & quotes. I'm sure I'll refer back to this often, just like Fitzgerald's 'How Bad Do You Want It?'

A few highlights:

"When you've cultivated the ability to fully accept, embrace, and address any situation, you are no longer dependent on external circumstances. While you still want things to go your way, it no longer really matters if they do or don't. In either case, you know you'll be able to make the best of the situation. You're in control of the only thing you truly can control, which is your mind, and it feels like freedom." (p. 19)

"An unforeseen challenge is good news to no lesser degree than a surprise breakthrough is good news because both serve as useful guideposts to the next step. Both are material to work with, material chosen by forces beyond your control, so what point is there in having an opinion about which other material you might have preferred?" (p.115)

"For the ultrarealist, success is not a particular result but the very act of making the best of a situation." (p. 191)

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this. I love sports psychology, but I totally get how for people who aren't into sports, these books don't feel relatable. Not the case with this one--the case studies were primarily ultrarunning and triathlons (and I won't even run 400m, NO THANK YOU,) and I was hooked. I got it every time. I loved how the book was organized and how it followed a loose arc of the author's journey back to Ironman. It was fun and funny but also realistic and informative. There were so many things that made me think "Hey, maybe I wouldn't need my therapist anymore if I'd just internalize what Fitzgerald is saying here." I've really struggled with so many of the negative thoughts addressed in this book as I've recovered from three wrist surgeries and a slew of other bad breaks surrounding my health and of course, the limitations of this pandemic world. A+ give it a read/listen. Whether you love sports or not, there's a lot of good stuff in here to digest.

[Mike Courson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 38 of 2024 (audio)
I'll throw Mr. Fitzgerald a 4/5. I enjoyed another of his books enough and this one showed up as a freebie on Audible. Whereas the other book of his was more about a personal experience, this had lots of anecdotes and some more research. Not bad at all for a free book.

Fitzgerald can do a nice job as a journalist. This book examines some of the mindsets that make athletes successful as they battle adversity. Fitzgerald spoils his own subject late in the book by discussing the biases of reporting only certain cases, but he selected a nice set of comeback stories and situations. Enough to keep the book interesting and reasonable. A young athlete or even an older one experiencing new adversities can definitely check out these stories and apply them to his/her own life.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The subtitle says it: building mental fitness in sport and life. Fitzgerald is a great writer, and illustrates his points about becoming an “ultrarealist” with many stories from the world of endurance sports. I listened to an audio version of the book while running, and liked it so much that I bought a copy to review, mark up, and read again. It came at a great time for me because I’m rehabbing from an injury that’s not severe, but is super-slow to heal, and has already caused me to stop training and miss a race. When he included a story without a happy-ending victory for the athlete, I was sold. I loved Fitzgerald’s insistence on not BSing ourselves, and to accept, embrace, and address reality.

[RubberDuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I've read from Matt Fitzgerald. I had a major and life-changing medical condition earlier this year, so this book was a natural choice for me, considering the theme. I found it very easy to read and to some extent, as inspiring as I was hoping. I am now already reading another book from the same author. The one missing star is only because the book presents itself as a quasi-scientific work, however a lot of things are stretched a bit to fit the overall argument. Or, as others have said, the author stretched a relatively simple argument beyond what is needed, often repeating the same concept across the book. Nonetheless I found it a very positive reading and I'd recommend it to any athlete struggling with finding the right role for mental fitness.

[Lucas H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Fitzgerald’s The Comeback Quotient is an interesting read that shares real-life stories of athletes who excel in making comebacks and those who struggle. The book highlights the pros and cons of giving your all repeatedly in both sports and life, and how circumstances often force you to pivot. What’s heartwarming is learning how different people react to hefty setbacks and strive to achieve what they want. The book introduces a concept called "ultrarealism," which means accepting, embracing, and addressing challenges. Fitzgerald's writing is engaging and motivating, making the book a great read for anyone interested in building mental fitness and understanding resilience. It’s packed with inspiring stories and practical insights, making it a valuable guide for both sports and life.

[Sam Brief · Rating 4 out of 5]

Endurance sports create such a powerful metaphor for addressing the many realities of life, and no one paints that image clearer than Fitzgerald.

In “The Comeback Quotient,” Fitzgerald encapsulates the idea of ultrarealism. Ultrarealists, he says, have mastered the art of accepting, embracing and addressing reality. In order to surmount a challenge, these three steps must occur. Watching the process through endurance greats like Eliud Kipchoge and Molly Seidel serves as a fascinating lens.

In a marathon, for example, there are myriad obstacles and setbacks. The greats, the ultrarealists, as Fitzgerald writes, accept, embrace and address the reality — good or bad. No denial, no BS.

[The Green Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the Audible version of this book straight through on a long drive.

I liked how he personalized the concept of 'ultrarealism' with his triathlon training journey - including being honest when he wasn't practicing ultrarealism.

The examples of how professional athletes deal with setbacks - including their mindsets - was fascinating to me. It gave me a glimpse inside that 'resilience' I associate with the elite.

The way Jamie Whitmore handled a bad bike/run transition when the event staff couldn't find her bag compared to a non-professional athlete's reaction made a big impression on me. She arguably had more at stake yet she handled it with grace.

[Amber Victoria Finlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this right before what ended up being a rough marathon for me and used SO MUCH of what I picked up on from this book! There’s honestly many good nuggets of wisdoms and mantras in this book, but probably my biggest takeaway was to put energy into choosing a next step when things go wrong rather than wasting energy wishing things had gone differently. Something Matt mentioned that he’s used on his athletes to trigger them to pivot from a problem to a solution is “what can you DO about it?” Well worth the read- just make sure you have your highlighter or notebook handy to jot down your favorite mindset shifts!

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book on how to make the most out of the problems and obstacles we run into in life and consequently overcoming those issues and making a successful comeback. I read this book because I'm in the process of making a comeback of my own.

My biggest takeaway was to become what he describes as an ultra realist. You can't bullshit yourself. You need to accept, embrace, and address the problem. DON'T fall into the traps that I have in the past such as denying the problem, ignoring it, etc. Wish I had read this 5 years ago and I might have saved myself a lot of time.

[Deanna Shih · Rating 4 out of 5]

listened to this one. audiobook minor pet peeves: the narrator (not matt) kept saying "tria-tha-lon" and kept mispronouncing molly seidel's last name, which irked me.

otherwise -- some of the anecdotes were just not it. like the skier who had to make it to podium w a cracked rib. what? and the intro with all the "comebacks" were in the context of each person's respective race rather than a bigger span of years of trials. but of course the later chapters more than compensated for a weak intro.

felt longer than it should or could have been, but i still mostly enjoyed it.

[Mike Dennisuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Fitzgerald is an excellent writer who focuses on the nuances of endurance sports. I find this subject fascinating given that I am a former (mediocre) endurance athlete and have coached distance runners for 35 years. I listened to this audiobook and never felt engaged with this narration. Too stilted. The narrator from his Running the Dream book was outstanding. Overall the message is a solid one and the vignettes are good but often too short.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this book was very helpful in getting me to reflect how important it is to acknowledge and accept reality to succeed in sport and life. I also greatly appreciated that the author included stories of those who had a winning mindset but who were unable to have a publicly acknowledge comeback. I could've done without the author's personal story of competing in the Santa Rosa triathalon (or at least a less detailed blow-by-blow account).

[Rachel Elaine Martens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing my deep dive into Coach Matt's back catalogue...this book hit all the right notes for me in the week+ leading up to my second marathon. The practical insights and observations were immediately applicable, and I found myself surprisingly moved at times thinking about how to respond to my own impossible situations in non racing contexts. Fantastic "pump up" book for athletes and even casual sports enthusiasts.

[Julie Pudar · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many words, so little substance. This reads like a college essay where you keep realizing you’re 1,000 words short and need to pad the paper with filler. Matt Fitzgerald came off as incredibly self important in this book. His personal story woven throughout was seemingly irrelevant to the underlying theme. If I hear one more word about this groin injury that he won’t let properly heal because his ego won’t let him rest…