High Performance: Lessons from the Best on Becoming Your Best

by Damian Hughes, Damian Hughes

How do Olympic medal-winning athletes turbo-charge their motivation?
How do multi-millionaire founders develop the habits of champions?
And how do Premier League football coaches lead their teams to victory?

High Performance reveals the methods the world's most remarkable athletes, coaches and entrepreneurs use to excel.

From taking responsibility for your situation to finding your 'trademark behaviours', thinking flexibly to crafting a high performance culture, Jake Humphrey and Professor Damian Hughes identify the eight crucial steps to becoming the best 'you' possible.

Along the way, they draw on cutting-edge research to explain why these methods work - and how we can all use them. Anyone can learn the secrets of high performance.

Drawing on conversations with... Dina Asher-Smith | Steven Bartlett | Tom Daley | Steven Gerrard | Evelyn Glennie | Kelly Holmes | Chris Hoy | Eddie Jones | Siya Kolisi | Frank Lampard | Jo Malone | Matthew McConaughey | Ant Middleton | Tracey Neville | Robin Van Persie | Mauricio Pochettino | Gareth Southgate | Holly Tucker | Jonny Wilkinson | Clive Woodward | Toto Wolff and many more...

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

Hardcover

Published December 9, 2021

About the author

Professor Damian Hughes combines his practical and academic background within sport, organization and change psychology to work as a trusted adviser to business, education and sporting elite, specializing in the creation of high-performance cultures.

Reviews

[David Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will appeal to you if you’re interested in how your brain works , or how to perform better, but you’ve never yet considered reading any books about the subject.
If you’ve already read some of these:
The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Zero Negativity: The Power of Positive Thinking
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
…then, apart from a handy recap, this book will have nothing new for you. If you haven’t encountered these books yet, then this book is probably an excellent place to start.

But…. If this your first dabble into the “winner” genre, I’d recommend a note of caution before you start. Like many “positive thinking” books, HP’s underlying message is that, if you put in the hard work, if you take responsibility, if you’re single minded, dedicated and determined, and if you stay focused and driven; you’ll get to the top.
The trouble is, for the vast majority - it’s just statistically impossible.
Take any success story - take any famous person - who is famous because they are successful, and they will regale you for hours with stories about their training programme, the sacrifices, the early morning starts…. But here’s the thing that hardly ever gets mentioned:
Their competitor was working just as hard, was just as determined, just as focussed, just as ready, just as driven…. But on the day, they slipped into the obscurity of second place.
Looked at from a less romantic point of view, the true lesson from any Steve Jobs or Usain Bolt story is that dozens of other people stood on the same start line after putting in just as much work and had their efforts come to nothing.
So what happened to them? Did they give up? Did they try harder? Did they take these setbacks as yet another teaching opportunity and come back stronger?
We’ll never know. Because, one way or another, we’ll never bother to ask them. Their life of relentless striving led only to obscurity.
Unfortunately, there are thousands of books out there which perpetuate the myth of being “special”, being a winner, achieving your goals and battling against the odds, but there aren’t many books that encourage you to be realistic about your aims, understand and accept your limitations, recognise when the juice simply isn’t worth the squeeze, and learn to appreciate what you already have.
Don’t let striving define you, because you miss an awful lot when all you can focus on is the far horizon.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great start, went downhill rapidly

I really enjoyed this book at first, and highlighted many important lessons and constructive ideas I could implement. Around 30% in, the book basically became waffle about sports and athletes and mostly irrelevant information. Examples should be boiled down to the essential features. I don't care about football, their upbringing, anything. From 30% onwards, the book could have been a bullet point blog post about entirely obvious high performance habits. I'm annoyed I spent so much money on a book that was basically a transcript of interviewing people in sports, with 15 pages of pointless information just to say 'be consistent'.

[Matthew McEwan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for a course at work. I don't really enjoy self help books but if you're into that sort of thing and enjoy sports anecdotes this is for you.

There are a few interesting thoughts and techniques mentioned as well as some unique stories from sports people. Feels like a lot of recycled content from their podcasts though so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who already listens to the podcasts.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good takeaways but for someone who’s not into sports and football specifically this dragged a little for me.

[doodlesandcalm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the second best self help non fiction boon I have ever read after Atomic Habits. I found the writing so easy to read, the structure of the book was so organised & easy to navigate. It’s written with busy CEO’s in mind so you can pick a random chapter & gain insight - you don’t need to sit and read the whole thing start to finish to gain value from it.

The “taking responsibility” chapter was my favourite & gave me a tough wake up call of how I can’t remain in a state of “learned helplessness” where the world and life is happening TO me. I have to learn to take responsibility. But also understanding a fine line between always thinking something is my fault = taking responsibility - that’s not true. “high performance is about what you do; it isn’t about constantly blaming yourself”.

I could go on and on about this book but 10/10 definitely recommend, very motivating & inspiring & i loved how high performers from many industries were brought into this & we got tips from them - such amazing insight.

[Carlos Miguel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting in book about what it takes to be a high performance or high achiever person. It does not shy from what it needs to be done and doesn't go into fantasy land saying that if you want something it will happen. However, the book is mostly based on stories from sport-related careers and sometimes it is hard to make the connection to a working day in a normal office.

The only thing that jump out of the pages for me was that you have to own where you are and in the situation that you are in. Independently of what caused the situation.

This book might be more targeted for men since most of the examples are about football/soccer and rugby.

[Lucy McMullan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved High Performance by Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes. It’s packed with powerful insights from top performers… athletes, coaches, entrepreneurs - distilled into practical, no-fluff lessons.

One line that stuck with me: “High performance is a mindset, not a skillset.” That hit hard.

The idea of “trademark behaviors” and creating your own personal standard really changed how I approach my day-to-day.

Short, sharp, and inspiring. Highly recommend if you’re ready to level up. 5 stars!

[Lauren Nicol Deaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely really good but I do feel like it's more tailored to sports persons. A lot of people I don't particularly know in the book (celebs). I will have a look as I'm interested in their stories.

Feel like I try to manifest and have a positive outlook in life so I could totally see the points the authors were getting at.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book - lots of interesting anecdotes from people I find interesting, although I probably wouldn’t read their autobiographies myself.

The tips weren’t anything particularly new, but still enjoyed the book.

[Angus Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of your typical Jake Humphrey Brent-ish behaviour. I liked it a lot more when he was talking more about all the incredible athletes and other phenomenons that he’s had on the podcast rather than when he “failed his a-levels”. Some of the insights were incredible but I disagree with his seemingly scientific formula for ‘high performance’.

[Jung]

"High Performance" by Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes offers an engaging exploration of how top achievers across fields—from athletes to entrepreneurs—sustain excellence and grow stronger through challenges. The authors argue that high performance is not about being fearless or simply relying on luck and talent; rather, it comes from the daily choices and habits people cultivate over time. The book shows how setbacks can become springboards for growth when individuals take ownership of their responses and focus on what they can control. These champions intentionally transform difficulties into learning opportunities, pursue work that aligns with their personal strengths, and build supportive environments around themselves. With consistent habits, they gain momentum that fuels their creativity under pressure and strengthens their resilience in the face of setbacks. The core lesson is that shifting attention from circumstances to responses can unlock long-term motivation, help you stay composed under stress, and maximize your personal abilities, ultimately creating a culture where you and those around you can thrive.

One foundational idea the book explores is the power of taking responsibility. It introduces the formula Life plus Response equals Outcome, showing that while you cannot always choose what happens to you, you can choose how to react. That choice is what defines consistent high performers. For instance, the book highlights teenage racing driver Billy Monger, who lost both legs in an accident yet chose to focus on what he could still do instead of dwelling on loss. Similarly, Robin van Persie shifted his mindset from blaming referees and teammates to visualizing the player he wanted to become, which helped him regain a sense of control. These stories reinforce that acknowledging reality but refusing to become stuck in it is vital. The authors emphasize that when you direct your attention toward what you can influence, you build a sense of agency, remaining active rather than passive, which in turn strengthens resilience and steady performance.

Beyond ownership, the book examines what sustains motivation after taking that first step. Here, it draws on the well-established self-determination theory, explaining that motivation flourishes through three key psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and belonging. These factors help people maintain a deep, intrinsic drive. The book uses the story of CrossFit athlete Zack George to illustrate this point. As a teenager, George lost weight for an external reward—a PlayStation—but the motivation didn’t last. Only when he started to see himself as someone who values health and performance did he develop a lifelong commitment to fitness. Similarly, studies showed that students paid to solve puzzles lost interest once payment stopped, while unpaid students stayed engaged. The lesson is that if you want enduring motivation, you need to feel that you freely choose your path, that you are skilled enough to succeed, and that you belong to a supportive community.

The book recommends a simple reflection exercise to help align your daily tasks with these motivational needs. By evaluating how much choice and confidence you feel with different tasks, you can identify what to keep, what to reframe, and what to delegate. When tasks offer high choice and high confidence, they naturally fuel motivation. If a task has high choice but low confidence, you have an opportunity to build skills. If you are confident but feel no choice, you might need to connect it to your values or share responsibility with others to build belonging. And if both confidence and choice are low, it may be best to rethink the task altogether.

Managing emotions is another crucial element the authors explore. High performers succeed not only because of skill but because of their ability to stay calm under pressure. They learn to master what the book calls the 'red brain'—the instinctive, threat-detecting part of the mind—by strengthening the 'blue brain,' the rational, thoughtful side. This is shown in the story of Chris Hoy, who lost focus at a world championship after seeing a rival break a world record. The panic cost him the race. Later, he learned to visualize various scenarios, even stressful ones, to train himself to stay composed. Dina Asher-Smith also benefited from focusing on her strengths rather than trying to do something extraordinary under pressure, allowing her to deliver gold-medal performances. Rugby star Jonny Wilkinson found he could compete more freely when he separated his self-worth from his performance outcomes. These examples underline that controlling your emotions comes down to clear thinking, realistic reframing, and trust in your own skills.

The book also insists that building a high-performance mindset means leveraging what you do best instead of obsessing over weaknesses. Jo Malone’s instinctive scent-blending skills, not written formulas, made her a global perfume success. This illustrates how intuitive strengths can be more powerful than what formal education teaches. Similarly, Kelly Holmes found a sense of identity in running thanks to a teacher who recognized her talent, which gave her motivation to push herself harder. The authors encourage readers to identify patterns in their own achievements, look at tasks they enjoy and excel at, and seek honest feedback to avoid blind spots like the Dunning-Kruger effect, where people overestimate their abilities. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow—total immersion in a task that balances challenge and skill—helps identify those sweet spots of performance. By working from your true strengths and backing up your self-assessment with real outcomes and external feedback, you build a reliable base for long-term excellence.

Another principle is cultivating flexibility to solve problems creatively. Toto Wolff’s attention to details like stale coffee cups and clutter in the Mercedes F1 garage revealed a mindset problem—neglecting the small things would make it impossible to excel at big things. Great performers challenge routines and resist getting stuck in patterns of 'this is how we’ve always done it.' A simple linguistic shift, adding the word 'yet' to a self-limiting belief, can transform a perceived block into a challenge to grow. For example, saying 'I can’t do this' becomes 'I can’t do this yet,' which invites experimentation and persistence. The book also highlights how flexible perspectives allow people to reframe challenges, seeing unexpected solutions—like using a box of pins as a candle holder instead of just its packaging. Diverse collaborations amplify this effect, as seen when Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish combined creative vision with operational know-how to build Not On The High Street. These partnerships spark innovation by balancing contrasting skills and perspectives.

Finally, the book looks at how to create cohesive, high-performing teams by fostering a shared purpose and supportive culture. The authors use the story of three bricklayers to illustrate this: one sees himself laying bricks, the second earning wages, and the third building a grand cathedral. Great leaders help their teams see the cathedral—a bigger purpose that makes daily work meaningful. Once that purpose is established, they remove distractions so energy goes into achieving the main goal. Culture holds it all together, with 'cultural architects' who lead by example, mentor others, and create trust. Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety reveals that teams who can speak openly about mistakes without fear of blame perform better. In these cultures, people feel free to take risks, share doubts, and listen deeply, which drives innovation and resilience. Leaders are advised to align everyone with a clear goal, live out the team’s values themselves, and empower these cultural champions to reinforce the behaviors that sustain excellence.

In the end, "High Performance" shows that achieving and sustaining success is a deliberate practice rooted in purpose and agency. By taking ownership of your responses, you develop the confidence and resilience to keep moving forward. Anchoring your motivation in autonomy, skill, and belonging keeps your drive alive long after external rewards disappear. Learning to manage your emotions through clear thinking and leveraging your personal strengths helps you navigate stressful situations creatively and calmly. A flexible mindset prevents stagnation, while a culture of shared purpose and safety brings out the best in teams. Ultimately, embracing these habits and perspectives transforms every challenge into a chance to learn, grow, and perform at your best.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the podcast but slightly underwhelmed by the retelling

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this review and more on my blog, uncovered-books.

Wow. I know some people say that you come to things when it is the right time in your life, but boy do I wish that I had found either this book or the podcast earlier.

High Performance is a cumulation of knowledge that Humphrey and Hughes have accumulated from the time that they have spent doing their podcast: High Performance. It is intended to help you understand exactly what all of the individuals that they have has on the podcast all mean, even if they have different ways to explain it. Now, you may be wondering ‘why would I buy this book when I could just listen to the podcast?’. I would honestly say that listening to the podcast and having this book is actually the best combination. As of the time I am writing this review (March 20th 2023), they have released 182 episodes of the podcast that are around an hour long each, with around the same amount of mini talks that are between 7 – 15 minutes. While the book does not have every guest as an example, I found it to be a more digestible way to understand some core concepts that anyone who achieves at the top of their chosen field. The podcast is a great thing to have on in the background when cooking or on your commute to work to listen to individual experiences and how they personally think what high performance is.

The book is broken down into 8 chapters that fall into one of three categories. High Performance Mindset; High Performance Behaviour; and High Performance Teams. Each of these sections really get down to the basics of what makes some people perform at high levels than others. High performance is never just about one aspect, whether it be natural talent, luck, timing or hard work. High performance is and attitude and a lifestyle that those at the top live their entire life with, which also explains why they always seem to be achieving in multiple things at once.

One thing that I loved about this book is that thought they regularly give references to their podcast, but more importantly other quotations and case studies outside of their own podcast. They number each of theses quotations and cases studies and provide a reference list at the back of the book, with a web address or book that it came from. This makes it easy to go into deep further research to increase you understanding, especially if what they were quoting was a case study.

I could not recommend this book enough to anyone! I will regularly reread this to keep myself on the right track to being my best and in know that the lessons / tips in here will help me along the way.

[Vince · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic and sport-focused.

Having not listened to the podcast that forms the basis of this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. As such, the basic and sport-centric nature of this book took me a little aback.

There are some tips to be found amongst the chaff but, on the whole, this book offers nothing new and is far too reliant upon the message that the lessons of sporting superstars are relevant to the average person.

[Markus Bredberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Listening to High Performance felt more like a series a podcast episodes and than an audiobook. Nevertheless it follows a read thread with simple takeaway.

One key lesson is about the value of responsibility: assume responsibility for the things you can control. This means we should isolate that which is within our power such as our reaction, and put less value on the actual outcome. When we screw up, accept responsibility for it. Failing once is no problem. Not reacting to it and failing again is.

Another lesson is to make problems temporary, specific and external instead of permanent, general and personal. If we can separate ourselves from the problem and see them clearly solutions will appear more clearly too.

To get motivated we can make sure that what we are doing things that are aligned with our values, and feel like within our control. A sense of agency, competence, and belonging usually helps. Instead of describing our job in mundane terms, we should do our best to tie it to a greater mission.

Also important, develop a growth mindset. People who believe in their capacity to learn are more likely to learn. It makes perfect sense to me that someone who is a great learner of abilities and have proven himself repeatedly in his past would have the confidence to believe this will be the case in the future too. A belief in progress is an effective motivator. Such a belief can even come from watching successes of people we feel similar to.

The remaining lessons are even more obvious than the ones I picked out. And this is where my critique begins. I did not like this book. It lacks nuance and true insight and relies on faulty arguments. I agree that the book can serve as a helpful reminder of the things most of us already know, redirecting our attention to the benefit of our performance, but in my opinion reminders like that are better made by a caring friend then a seven hour long audiobook.

To get in to some of the things I take issue with, let me start with a classic one. If an idea is presented quickly enough it's easy to forget what makes the connection causal and not just correlational. Their explanation of a growth mindset suffers from this – "people with a growth mindset tend to perform better". The idea behind the whole podcast, to interview high achievers for methods on becoming a high performer, is about as flawed as asking a centenarian how to grow old and then try to make sense of them attributing it to the shot of Scotch whisky they have every single day.

Particularly problematic is the evidence that is given for us focusing on flaws rather than strengths. They say that, when kids show their parents their grades, they are more likely to be asked about an F than an A. But F's are in fact more important so of course that is going to be the case. I find it frustrating because people focus on their inabilities is not a difficult thing to argue for, yet the authors fail to make this simple.

I was left feeling massively unimpressed by the book. So many people could write something like this. If that's a metaphor for their key message, I don't find it funny.

[William Jewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful and thoughtfully written book filled with practical wisdom that can genuinely be integrated into everyday life.



I found this to be an excellent companion read after Atomic Habits . If you enjoyed that book’s focus on intentional growth and small changes adding up over time, this one feels like a natural next step—more reflective, but just as impactful.



What I Loved

The author presents ideas in a way that encourages you to slow down, think deeply, and actually apply what you’re learning rather than just passively consuming information. The language is clear, motivating, and grounded. Many of the ideas feel like reminders you didn’t realize you needed—simple, but powerful when put into practice.



What Could Be Better

The only thing I found myself wishing for was a bit more structure at the end of chapters, such as:

• Key takeaways

• Reflection questions

• Links to online resources or exercises



Other books in this genre often include these elements, and they would have made revisiting the material even easier.



Tips for Readers

I highly recommend taking notes while reading. Whether that’s highlighting passages, journaling reflections, or bookmarking pages, it really helps lock in the lessons and makes it easier to come back later and apply them.




One subtle theme that stood out to me is how often meaningful change comes from awareness rather than force—something that becomes clearer the more you reflect on the ideas presented.




Final Thoughts

Overall, this is a rewarding, thought-provoking read that encourages personal growth through reflection and intention. It’s not a book to rush through, but one to sit with—and ideally revisit.



Highly recommended for readers who enjoy personal development books that focus on long-term mindset shifts rather than quick fixes.

[Josephine Olok · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was easy to read, I love sports, so I loved the examples. I also liked the summary at the end of each chapter. My favourite chapter was the last chapter on Courage, which summarised the key concepts beautifully using an F1 race as the analogy.

My key takeaways for high performance:

1. The engine - your mindset: taking responsibility for your actions, whatever happens; having internal motivation; and controlling your emotions and not letting them overwhelm you.

2. The chassis - your behaviour: playing to your strengths and being vigilant to recognise and reflect on what these are; being able to overcome obstacles by having a flexible perspective; and consistency, harnessing the power of non-negotiable and consistent actions (also known as trademark behaviours).

3. The support team - your team: setting Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs); trusting your team to achieve; cultivating natural lieutenants around you; and building a commitment culture.

4. The driver - you: only you can drive the direction of your performance. You have to believe that you have the courage to be a high performer. You have to have the courage to face fear in the face and go after your BHAGs.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who reads about 50-60 books a year, mostly on success, autobiographies, psychology, business and mindset (I'm boring, an accountant, a CFO actually with 50 investment properties so think it's working). Being too much of a geek to be in to sports so hadn't ever heard of Jake Humphrey and wasn't interested in the book until seeing Adam Peaty had a testimonial on the cover. As a former swimmer he is someone I do respect.

From the first chapter it has been surprising how good the book actually is and how much content is in the book, all nice and clear, and it's not just repetition of what you can find elsewhere. Perhaps some is, but you'd need to read about 50 great books to get what is nicely distilled in this one amazing volume.

The audiobook is particularly great, like listening to a conversation. It's easier to remain engaged if you listen while running or washing up.

[Vinay Nagaraju · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bad book - the book is written with a clear purpose to try and motivate. In doing so, I think the author over simplifies a lot of things such as tenor, perseverance et. the book mentions almost all popular works such as Daniel kahneman, Daniel Pink and others and uses those case studies to make a point. Most of these points are repetitive and dull. It does poor justice to those references and isn’t well tied.

He tries to give strategies in a few places to tackle a few situations but those too are over simplified and poorly orchestrated. Half way through the book I was very annoyed about the concoction of stories and theories in this book. It would’ve been better if he’d just focussed on stories. I’m afraid this sits in my catalogue as a badly written book

[Alex Hodge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake and Damian cover some of the key organisational and social psychology concepts of the 20th century (eg Kahneman & Tversky’s “heuristics”) and combines them with their own reflections + interview content from Sir Alex Ferguson, Kelly Holmes, Clive Woodward and many more, as they discuss their achievements and - what does high performance mean to them?

Covers the importance of taking responsibility, motivation, emotions, strengths, flexibility, leading a team and crafting a culture. All things you’d have covered in an undergrad business degree, but perhaps could have lost sight of in the real world.

A nice read if you haven’t listened to the podcast before, and want to a reminder about how to be your best.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book based on a podcast that I’ve read, and on this evidence it will be the last (the other one was “Talking Sopranos”).

I love the High Performance podcast and listen to it fairly consistently (!); my issue with the book is that about 90% of the material has already been shared on the podcast. There are some new anecdotes from Jake and Damian personally but with respect to the pair of them, they aren’t why I listen/read.

On reflection I think I’d have got more out of using the time I spent reading this book (which was maybe four hours at most- it’s 200ish pages in quite large, widely spaced font) re-listening to my favourites episodes of the podcast.

[Stephen Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, a genuine must read!
This is a must read for anyone, be it someone who is into sport and fitness, what’s to become a actor or actress, a business owner or entrepreneur, a teacher or someone who just wants to be a better parent.

This books gives very detailed lessons in ways and which you can high preform in all aspects of your life. Collating years of hard work and a very successful podcasts into one easy to read guide.

The mix of direct codes from the people interviewed, to descriptions by the authors and teaching moments is absolutely perfect.

A book you just don’t want to put down.

10/10

[Cel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went in completely blind, I am aware that the writers have taken anecdotes and quotes from athletes, businessmen/women, military soldiers, granted these were roles where a handling of extreme pressure is expected of their roles.

However, at some point, it did find it hard to relate and stay on track with the text as a lot of the figures they were trying to pull advice weren't people that I could identify with in terms sports teams and whatnot.

The best bit of advice (in my humble opinion) was the last part of the book. I won't spoil it, but I do believe if you are a man seeking ways to improve your level-headedness, you might really like this.

[Chris McBurney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The podcast this book was grounded on has popped up regularly on my feed. The book itself is like a ‘Greatest Hits’ from the podcast and ultimately there are a lot of helpful insights in it.

There’s a real recognition of failure, why you need to persevere and develop a team. And as someone who followed many of the sports people they reference, I found that fascinating. But many books also share these insights and arguable a little bit more fluently.

A helpful book but there’s other great performance driven books out there that may help you more.

[Sean Flatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this yearly and makes notes from it

I loved this book and it blew me away from the start until the end. I read his pervious book "Winning Mind" which is equally brilliant.
The book is full of amazing coaching guidance and inspiring stories as means to better yourself in what ever circumstances that you are in, e.g. dead end job, thinking life is unfair and feeling low with out visionary purpose.
But definitely 100% a must have book to have in your collection.
Best wishes Sean ex RE veteran

[George Swinburne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The High Performance book was an enjoyable, inspirational book that does it’s best to inspire its readers. As a avid listener of the podcast I was pleasantly surprised the book didn’t use the same content. Yes there were overlaps and the book certainly went into detail from previous audio guests but I love the way the book not only produced different techniques for readers to explore but theories from other sources. For a reader that is wanting to different perspectives of high performance (sport and business in the majority), certainly worth a read!

[Sam Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the podcast so it was a nobrainer for me to buy the book.

I read tonnes of business, psychology mindset and growth books and I also love sport so this was perfect. The guys cover some great points and give insights into lots of different areas on how to become a high performer. They don’t go into huge amounts of depth on each topic but what they do cover is sufficient.

Solid book, would recommend.

[Mark Andrew Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Started listening to the podcast after reading the beginning of the book.
After binging the first series over a weekend, really enjoyed the varying perspectives from many different career paths. And how although there are differences, there are also many similarities the authors discovered in the pod, which are outlined in the book and given a bit more fleshing out. Well worth a read

[James Bonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really thoughtful book that brings together many elements that make people successful. Most of these things you’ll have seen in others and yourself but wouldn’t be able to name what it is specifically. This book has changed the way I think to make me more focused on the positives and the controllables. It’s actually reduced my work anxiety by helping me focus on what I can control and what I am good at. Much appreciated, thank you.

[Honor Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, uncovering the key components of high-performing individuals. Having listened to the podcast, a lot of these lessons were repeated, with some added detail. Personally for me, I would have liked to have seen some more real life application to everyday situations, as opposed to high-performance situations. All in all, not a bad read, just not the most gripping once over halfway through. Onto fiction next…