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Compete to Create
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Published July 9, 2020
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October 17, 2022
"Through relationships we become..."
Compete to Create was an exceptional presentation. I really enjoyed this one. Despite its somewhat short length, the book is dense, and full of incredibly valuable, actionable advice.
This is an audio presentation; a collaboration between Michael Gervais and Pete Carroll, with Gervais doing the lion's share of the narration.
Mindset is an incredibly interesting topic to me. Mindset can make or break a situation. It can chart the course of any endeavor, as well as your entire life. Mindset can be the difference between thriving and just surviving, and even life and death.
[NOTE: This review may be a bit longer than usual. Sadly, there is no printed version of this one, so most of my notes from the book will be included here; mainly for my own future reference, but also for anyone else interested.]
Co-author Michael Gervais is one of (if not the) best sports performance psychologists in the world. Gervais works in the trenches of high-stakes environments with some of the best in the world, training the mindset skills and practices essential to pursuing and revealing one’s potential. His clients include world record holders, Olympians, internationally acclaimed artists and musicians, MVPs from every major sport and Fortune 100 CEOs.
A published, peer-reviewed author and recognized speaker on optimal human performance, Dr. Gervais has been featured by NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, ESPN, NFL Network, Red Bull TV, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Outside Magazine, WIRED, ESPN Magazine, and others.
Michael Gervais:
Co-author Peter Clay Carroll is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was previously the head football coach at USC, where he won six bowl games and a BCS National Championship Game.
Pete Carroll:
I first came across Gervais in Roy F. Baumeister's book The Power of Bad; which was excellent. Baumeister talks about how Gervais successfully coached Felix Baumgartner for his record-breaking 2012 leap from the edge of space. Baumgartner, an accomplished BASE jumper with thousands of jumps under his belt, almost washed out at the last minute. He was overcome with feelings of anxiety and trepidation around putting on the special pressurized suit that he would need to wear for the jump.
Mentioned by Gervais near the end of the book; the story is incredible. Basically, there had been 4 years of preparation for this jump, and tens of millions of dollars in sponsorship and investment on the line. Helping Felix overcome his fear was no small matter...
If mindset, excellence, and mastery are topics of interest to you, then Michael Gervais is someone who should be on your radar. There's a reason that he's one of the world's preeminent performance coaches. He really knows his shit. He is a genuine, authentic, intelligent, and down-to-earth persona; who delivers beneficial advice for anyone looking to better themselves.
To help the reader work towards self-betterment, mastery, and life fulfillment, Gervais lays out a rough road map here. He begins by advising the reader to develop their own personal philosophy. He mentions the importance of mindfulness, and training related to it. Being present is a large part of mindfulness.
He mentions exposing vulnerability: "It's the first thing we look for in other people, and the last thing we reveal..."
From there, he recommends the reader develop a vision for their future. "What does success look like for you?" he asks.
To work towards that vision, he advises employing mental imagery exercises, which will help you to envision your future successes. Gervais advises employing all 5 senses towards this end.
However, this vision-setting is a double-edged sword. It can see you fulfill your dreams, or it can become a negative self-fulfilling prophecy, if you let it.
Negativity and negative self-talk are also discussed at length. Carroll calls these "discursive thoughts." The authors say that the highly successful do not ruminate on negative self-talk or pessimism. If they encounter problems, they focus on overcoming them. To be successful, you'll need to yank the leash on your negative thought patterns, and your pessimism. Gervais notes that most highly successful people are more optimistic than pessimistic. This mindset is not hard-coded into us though, he says, and notes that pessimism can be modulated with practice and mindset training.
Viktor E. Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning is also mentioned numerous times here. An epic book; Gervais tells the reader Frankl's incredible life story, and his strive to say "Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything." Frankl's flying lessons were also talked about. If you aim for your target in a crosswind, you will miss it. You have to overshoot.
To be successful requires you to separate the signal from the noise, the authors say. The noise is all around us, competing for our attention. It can come in the form of negative people in your life, from social media, from politics, or even from the negative voice inside your own head. To succeed we must learn to stay focused on the present moment, with a cool and calm perspective, regardless of the external conditions we may find ourselves in.
Performing at high levels requires you to differentiate between what is and is not within your control. When you place attention on things beyond your control, you take your focus and energy away from things you can control. Many things are beyond our control - however:
Gervais lays out a Morning Mindset Training that consists of 4 steps:
1) One breath. Take a deep breath, before you check your phone, or connect with the outside world. This will start your day with something that is 100% under your control, and help you to become more connected to the signal.
2) One thought of gratitude. Think of something you are grateful for. This is an integration of thinking and feeling.
3) One intention. See yourself being aware, being patient, being grounded. This is an image of you, at your best.
4) Be right where your feet are. Pull off your sheets! Take a moment to feel the ground under your feet.
All of these 4 steps are completely under your control. If you do this every morning, you will prime parts of your brain that don't get exercised enough. Train your mind to be connected to what's under your control.
Gervais also discusses the power of grit in achieving one's goals; mentioning Angela Duckworth's book of the same name. Another excellent book; Duckworth notes that grit alone is often the sole determinant factor in who will succeed in their goals, and who will not.
And although the environment you were born in, and your innate capacity will also play their roles, grit is something within your own control. Only you control when you decide to throw in the towel.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of Flow and flow states are also covered here. Gervais says that a child playing with toys is in a deep, natural, complete state of flow.
A performer's Activation "sweet-spot" is also discussed. Too little or too much arousal will produce negative results. There is a zone of activation; where peak performance occurs (see below). Gervais calls this "finding your 5."
The first step is to become aware of our placement on the activation scale. The second step is to use controlled breathing to bring us down to our ideal activation level, if we assess that we are running hot. At ~3:55:30, Gervais says that we can take deep breaths through our noses, and focus on exhaling for longer than we inhale. This will deactivate our amygdala response, and allow our nervous system to tone it down.
At ~3:34:00, he goes over a guided mindfulness exercise.
In a theme that emerges over and over again in the books I've read on mastery; comfort zones, and comfort, in general, is discussed. We must move out of our comfort zones to achieve growth. However, this runs counter to our apish evolutionary wiring; which seeks comfort and security over taking risks.
Citing Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey, Gervais notes that many high performers seek out discomfort to better their mindset. There is a reason that so many classic tales capture our imagination. The Hero's Journey has become entrenched in our cultural zeitgeist. IMHO, there may be a biological basis to this, as well, although that lies beyond the scope of this review...
Finally, the book is fairly broad-based in nature. Although mindset is the focus here; the performance animal is a multi-faceted being. There are many ingredients that go into the high-performance recipe. Gervais also discusses the importance of recovery here. He covers the importance of sleep in-depth, mentioning that it is not a bragging right to announce how little sleep you got the night before. A high-quality diet is also discussed, as is adequate exercise.
Good stuff! GET AFTER IT!
***********************
Compete To Create is the best book on the performance mindset that I have read, to be honest.
There is something about Gervais that really resonates with me.
The value this book provides to someone looking to improve their performance mindset is virtually incalculable. If you are in the field of performance, and you have not read this one, you will be at a distinct disadvantage.
It was so good, that I will likely come back and reread it from time to time.
An easy 5-star rating for this one, as well as a top spot on my "favorites" shelf.
Compete to Create was an exceptional presentation. I really enjoyed this one. Despite its somewhat short length, the book is dense, and full of incredibly valuable, actionable advice.
This is an audio presentation; a collaboration between Michael Gervais and Pete Carroll, with Gervais doing the lion's share of the narration.
Mindset is an incredibly interesting topic to me. Mindset can make or break a situation. It can chart the course of any endeavor, as well as your entire life. Mindset can be the difference between thriving and just surviving, and even life and death.
[NOTE: This review may be a bit longer than usual. Sadly, there is no printed version of this one, so most of my notes from the book will be included here; mainly for my own future reference, but also for anyone else interested.]
Co-author Michael Gervais is one of (if not the) best sports performance psychologists in the world. Gervais works in the trenches of high-stakes environments with some of the best in the world, training the mindset skills and practices essential to pursuing and revealing one’s potential. His clients include world record holders, Olympians, internationally acclaimed artists and musicians, MVPs from every major sport and Fortune 100 CEOs.
A published, peer-reviewed author and recognized speaker on optimal human performance, Dr. Gervais has been featured by NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, ESPN, NFL Network, Red Bull TV, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Outside Magazine, WIRED, ESPN Magazine, and others.
Michael Gervais:
Co-author Peter Clay Carroll is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was previously the head football coach at USC, where he won six bowl games and a BCS National Championship Game.
Pete Carroll:
I first came across Gervais in Roy F. Baumeister's book The Power of Bad; which was excellent. Baumeister talks about how Gervais successfully coached Felix Baumgartner for his record-breaking 2012 leap from the edge of space. Baumgartner, an accomplished BASE jumper with thousands of jumps under his belt, almost washed out at the last minute. He was overcome with feelings of anxiety and trepidation around putting on the special pressurized suit that he would need to wear for the jump.
Mentioned by Gervais near the end of the book; the story is incredible. Basically, there had been 4 years of preparation for this jump, and tens of millions of dollars in sponsorship and investment on the line. Helping Felix overcome his fear was no small matter...
If mindset, excellence, and mastery are topics of interest to you, then Michael Gervais is someone who should be on your radar. There's a reason that he's one of the world's preeminent performance coaches. He really knows his shit. He is a genuine, authentic, intelligent, and down-to-earth persona; who delivers beneficial advice for anyone looking to better themselves.
To help the reader work towards self-betterment, mastery, and life fulfillment, Gervais lays out a rough road map here. He begins by advising the reader to develop their own personal philosophy. He mentions the importance of mindfulness, and training related to it. Being present is a large part of mindfulness.
He mentions exposing vulnerability: "It's the first thing we look for in other people, and the last thing we reveal..."
From there, he recommends the reader develop a vision for their future. "What does success look like for you?" he asks.
To work towards that vision, he advises employing mental imagery exercises, which will help you to envision your future successes. Gervais advises employing all 5 senses towards this end.
However, this vision-setting is a double-edged sword. It can see you fulfill your dreams, or it can become a negative self-fulfilling prophecy, if you let it.
Negativity and negative self-talk are also discussed at length. Carroll calls these "discursive thoughts." The authors say that the highly successful do not ruminate on negative self-talk or pessimism. If they encounter problems, they focus on overcoming them. To be successful, you'll need to yank the leash on your negative thought patterns, and your pessimism. Gervais notes that most highly successful people are more optimistic than pessimistic. This mindset is not hard-coded into us though, he says, and notes that pessimism can be modulated with practice and mindset training.
Viktor E. Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning is also mentioned numerous times here. An epic book; Gervais tells the reader Frankl's incredible life story, and his strive to say "Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything." Frankl's flying lessons were also talked about. If you aim for your target in a crosswind, you will miss it. You have to overshoot.
To be successful requires you to separate the signal from the noise, the authors say. The noise is all around us, competing for our attention. It can come in the form of negative people in your life, from social media, from politics, or even from the negative voice inside your own head. To succeed we must learn to stay focused on the present moment, with a cool and calm perspective, regardless of the external conditions we may find ourselves in.
Performing at high levels requires you to differentiate between what is and is not within your control. When you place attention on things beyond your control, you take your focus and energy away from things you can control. Many things are beyond our control - however:
"100% of the time, you have the capacity to control you. Everything else is noise."
Gervais lays out a Morning Mindset Training that consists of 4 steps:
1) One breath. Take a deep breath, before you check your phone, or connect with the outside world. This will start your day with something that is 100% under your control, and help you to become more connected to the signal.
2) One thought of gratitude. Think of something you are grateful for. This is an integration of thinking and feeling.
3) One intention. See yourself being aware, being patient, being grounded. This is an image of you, at your best.
4) Be right where your feet are. Pull off your sheets! Take a moment to feel the ground under your feet.
All of these 4 steps are completely under your control. If you do this every morning, you will prime parts of your brain that don't get exercised enough. Train your mind to be connected to what's under your control.
"Go for it, and be authentically bold."
Gervais also discusses the power of grit in achieving one's goals; mentioning Angela Duckworth's book of the same name. Another excellent book; Duckworth notes that grit alone is often the sole determinant factor in who will succeed in their goals, and who will not.
And although the environment you were born in, and your innate capacity will also play their roles, grit is something within your own control. Only you control when you decide to throw in the towel.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of Flow and flow states are also covered here. Gervais says that a child playing with toys is in a deep, natural, complete state of flow.
A performer's Activation "sweet-spot" is also discussed. Too little or too much arousal will produce negative results. There is a zone of activation; where peak performance occurs (see below). Gervais calls this "finding your 5."
The first step is to become aware of our placement on the activation scale. The second step is to use controlled breathing to bring us down to our ideal activation level, if we assess that we are running hot. At ~3:55:30, Gervais says that we can take deep breaths through our noses, and focus on exhaling for longer than we inhale. This will deactivate our amygdala response, and allow our nervous system to tone it down.
At ~3:34:00, he goes over a guided mindfulness exercise.
In a theme that emerges over and over again in the books I've read on mastery; comfort zones, and comfort, in general, is discussed. We must move out of our comfort zones to achieve growth. However, this runs counter to our apish evolutionary wiring; which seeks comfort and security over taking risks.
Citing Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey, Gervais notes that many high performers seek out discomfort to better their mindset. There is a reason that so many classic tales capture our imagination. The Hero's Journey has become entrenched in our cultural zeitgeist. IMHO, there may be a biological basis to this, as well, although that lies beyond the scope of this review...
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek..."
~ Joseph Campbell
Finally, the book is fairly broad-based in nature. Although mindset is the focus here; the performance animal is a multi-faceted being. There are many ingredients that go into the high-performance recipe. Gervais also discusses the importance of recovery here. He covers the importance of sleep in-depth, mentioning that it is not a bragging right to announce how little sleep you got the night before. A high-quality diet is also discussed, as is adequate exercise.
Good stuff! GET AFTER IT!
***********************
Compete To Create is the best book on the performance mindset that I have read, to be honest.
There is something about Gervais that really resonates with me.
The value this book provides to someone looking to improve their performance mindset is virtually incalculable. If you are in the field of performance, and you have not read this one, you will be at a distinct disadvantage.
It was so good, that I will likely come back and reread it from time to time.
An easy 5-star rating for this one, as well as a top spot on my "favorites" shelf.
August 4, 2020
NOTE: This is an audiobook review. This book is available as an Audible Original read by the authors
(Michael Gervais - a sports/performance psychologist with an extensive history of working with top athletes and Pete Carroll, head coach of the NFL Seattle Seahawks)
This is an up to date (As of July 2020) summary of the science of mindfulness with specific recommendations on optimizing overall wellness to help improver performance and general health.
The bottom line I highly recommend this book...to EVERYONE...from current couch potato to aspiring Olympian and for all ages.
The book is engagingly read, well organized, and well constructed.
It is short (6.5 hrs) and focussed on giving structure and highlights (citing the reasons, the performance gains, etc...) without getting bogged down in too many details.
It is available (as far as I know) only as an audible book, but it does come with a helpful reference PDF. (Don't let that deter you, it's used effectively and is not required while listening to the book)
The book starts with helping organize goals and mindset, moves to the merits of mindfulness, and concludes with a summary on optimizing recovery (sleep, nutrition, hydration, etc...) and the entire book is filled with useful tips and practices from beginning to end. (Note the nutrition section is very short, and appropriately so, and guides you to other resources if that is of interest)
(Note: For more excellent information/introduction on mindfulness I strongly recommend the Teaching Company's/Great Courses "The Science of Mindfulness audiobook cover art
The Science of Mindfulness: A Research-Based Path to Well-Being" by Ronald Siegel, which is also available on Audible)
Anyways, the book should be required reading (ok, listening) by everyone, young and old. It's that important.
(Michael Gervais - a sports/performance psychologist with an extensive history of working with top athletes and Pete Carroll, head coach of the NFL Seattle Seahawks)
This is an up to date (As of July 2020) summary of the science of mindfulness with specific recommendations on optimizing overall wellness to help improver performance and general health.
The bottom line I highly recommend this book...to EVERYONE...from current couch potato to aspiring Olympian and for all ages.
The book is engagingly read, well organized, and well constructed.
It is short (6.5 hrs) and focussed on giving structure and highlights (citing the reasons, the performance gains, etc...) without getting bogged down in too many details.
It is available (as far as I know) only as an audible book, but it does come with a helpful reference PDF. (Don't let that deter you, it's used effectively and is not required while listening to the book)
The book starts with helping organize goals and mindset, moves to the merits of mindfulness, and concludes with a summary on optimizing recovery (sleep, nutrition, hydration, etc...) and the entire book is filled with useful tips and practices from beginning to end. (Note the nutrition section is very short, and appropriately so, and guides you to other resources if that is of interest)
(Note: For more excellent information/introduction on mindfulness I strongly recommend the Teaching Company's/Great Courses "The Science of Mindfulness audiobook cover art
The Science of Mindfulness: A Research-Based Path to Well-Being" by Ronald Siegel, which is also available on Audible)
Anyways, the book should be required reading (ok, listening) by everyone, young and old. It's that important.
Read
April 18, 2022Listened to this book with my Exercise Science Class! Very interesting and helpful.
March 30, 2021
I listened to this Audible original and enjoyed the practical exercises and tips on raise performance. Much of what he shares I had heard/read before but enjoyed the powerful questions he also raises such as challenging yourself to become comfortable with being uncomfortable and to look at your life through the lens of what is working RIGHT now? There is a sports coach who offered some insights about how to use these principles in the sports. Since I am not a big sports fan I didn't find his insights to be as useful.
January 5, 2021
A good collection of tips that you'd find in other self-help books on authenticity and training your mind. Supplemented by stories and tips from NFL coach Pete Carroll, which add depth and real-world context to the detail. Overall, a good listen and some helpful pointers.
December 8, 2024
Dr. Michael Gervais and Pete Carroll’s Compete to Create is an inspiring guide to living and leading authentically. While the book is rich with insights, I’ll highlight three concepts that stood out to me.
The first is the importance of focus and refocusing. In a world full of distractions, the authors emphasize training the mind to “lock in” on the task at hand and, just as importantly, to refocus when attention wanders. This skill is foundational for maintaining productivity and achieving peak performance.
The second is the mindset to perform “on the edge”—embracing discomfort and staying in the growth zone where true progress happens. The authors encourage readers to thrive in challenging moments rather than retreating to safety.
The third is the framework for cultivating a positive mindset by confronting negative thoughts, challenging their truth, and replacing them with positive, reasoned alternatives. This practical method strengthens mental resilience and promotes intentional, positive thinking.
These three concepts are just a glimpse of the book’s depth. Compete to Create offers actionable insights for anyone looking to achieve personal and professional mastery. Highly recommended!
The first is the importance of focus and refocusing. In a world full of distractions, the authors emphasize training the mind to “lock in” on the task at hand and, just as importantly, to refocus when attention wanders. This skill is foundational for maintaining productivity and achieving peak performance.
The second is the mindset to perform “on the edge”—embracing discomfort and staying in the growth zone where true progress happens. The authors encourage readers to thrive in challenging moments rather than retreating to safety.
The third is the framework for cultivating a positive mindset by confronting negative thoughts, challenging their truth, and replacing them with positive, reasoned alternatives. This practical method strengthens mental resilience and promotes intentional, positive thinking.
These three concepts are just a glimpse of the book’s depth. Compete to Create offers actionable insights for anyone looking to achieve personal and professional mastery. Highly recommended!
January 6, 2023
I am learning more and more about the value of mindfulness. Mindfulness for me is more than a meditation or process to get quiet. Mindfulness is the focus on what is important and what I really took out of this book…learning to refocus. Building the mental energy to get dialed in but more importantly stay dialed in is a challenge for me. This book helped.
Audible audiobook.
Audible audiobook.
February 8, 2021
Great audiobook- I wish there was a hard copy available. There are a lot of gems in this book that someone can immediately implement to be more intentional about their life and their mindset. The author offers suggestions that are well researched mixed with more personal anecdotes.
November 3, 2022
Excellent book! This is one of the few books I’ve read that was wholly focused on actionable steps rather than on the background science. I highly recommended you check this out. You will walk away with changes you can make today to improve your life.
December 29, 2024
My first non-fiction book in ages and it was great. I enjoyed having multiple narrators and quotes were recordings of the person quotes. Chapter eight was probably my favorite and the one I have a note to relisten to it.
August 25, 2020
Mike is a visionary. Really well put together and clear. He breaks down how and what it means to be world class in a craft and in life.
August 27, 2020
As a follower of Dr. Mike for a long time, it was excited to hear about this project. It did not disappoint. A lot of great information and some great PDF’s to supplement it. I highly recommend.
September 23, 2020
Incredible book. The story on the two-second recovery is very special to me.
December 29, 2020
I wish this would of been my first book I read before I started coaching. I highly recommend!
February 28, 2021
Broadly repetition but still a nice read
June 28, 2021
Adequate, but there are other books in this space that I would recommend before this.
January 10, 2022
Really great book! Wish it was in print
January 17, 2022
Great book for anyone looking to improve their performance.
February 28, 2022
This would probably be better as a physical book to reference.
July 7, 2022
Excellent book if you want to improve your performance in life. They use many great examples of what top athletes do to improve their performance and how to play at the highest level of life.
January 15, 2024
Great structure into how to optimize ones self with great examples.
May 4, 2021
Pete Carroll is the head coach of my favorite NFL team. He prides himself in practice on competition, and believes the repeated practice of it fosters excellence.
The primary thing I didn’t like about this audiobook is that while Gervais’ irecording sounds natural—probably because he wrote the book—Caroll’s illustrations aappear contrived, and awkwardly inserted in spots.
The primary thing I didn’t like about this audiobook is that while Gervais’ irecording sounds natural—probably because he wrote the book—Caroll’s illustrations aappear contrived, and awkwardly inserted in spots.
December 21, 2023
Epic thoughts must be backed by credibility
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews