What do you think?
Rate this book
In Pursuit of Excellence: How to Win in Sport and Life Through Mental Training
Reach your highest goals! Whether you are an athlete, coach, or want to become a high achiever in another walk of life, In Pursuit of Excellence provides the expert advice and proven techniques to fulfill your aspirations. You’ll learn how to develop a more positive outlook, focus your commitment, overcome obstacles to desired outcomes, and achieve greater personal and professional satisfaction. You’ll also discover better ways to work with teammates, respond more effectively to coaching, and become more self-directed in your thoughts and actions. Author Terry Orlick, an internationally acclaimed sport psychologist, has helped hundreds of Olympic athletes maximize their performances and achieve their goals. In this third edition, Orlick presents his special insights and experiences to help you make the most of your potential. He also identifies the Seven Essential Elements of Human Excellence and provides a step-by-step plan for proceeding along your personal path to excellence. Both practical and inspirational, In Pursuit of Excellence is a guide to daily living and motivation, as well as a road map to long-term achievement. Read it, use it, and win—on and off the field.
242 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
117 people are currently reading
949 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 16, 2008
When I moved to the Olympic Training Center in 1997, this was a book that I was given by my coach. It was really great, not just for sports, but for any kind of mental training. It was the first book I ever read "actively", and by that I mean that I wrote in: underlining, making notes, etc. I still refer back to it all the time when I needmotivation. Wonderful book!
Read
February 17, 2017In Pursuit of Excellence
Terry Orlick
“Who cares what others think?Their thinking can’t hurt you. You don’t have to be a hero. You can be whoever you want to be. Just being, with no pretense, it’s fine.”. This quote is just one of many that makes you strive for excellence by helping to train your mind, by mentally training you to become great in sports and in everyday life.
In Pursuit of Excellence, by Terry Orlick, who is a sport psychologist, writes a nonfiction book about personal experience of what he has learned throughout his studies and what he has learned in his experience with talking with professional athletes around the world. The book digs deep into you by trying to teach you how to overcome certain obstacles to face in different roadblocks that you will face in different opportunities in life.
When reading this book I thought the structure of how he made up the book was very well organized as the author made sure different tasks, tips and reviews from athletes flowed. However, I also thought it was very confusing at parts because at different chapters he would talk about a new topic, but when reading about the new topic it felt like I was reading about the previous topic from the last chapter. For example, in the chapter one it talks about commitment. It states,“Are your goals clear, challenging, and targeted at being or contributing your best?” ,but in the third chapter it says “A commitment to do quality work is prerequisite for excellence, but unless you also master the art of focus control you will continue to fall short of your goals or dreams. Excellence requires the development of strong, positive focusing skills, as well as an openness to learn from others.” To me this meant the same thing just in a different perspective , so I found some parts of the book like this. But, besides the beginning where the repetitive topics were the book flowed very well. For example it talks about what we should think about at the start of athletic events to get our minds prepared all the way until what we learn and should teach our mind to do at the end of an event.
I feel like anyone who is committed to try and make a difference with their mind and try and change things up to help with a certain roadblock, or anyone who wants to try and help to fix the way they think about something could read this book. I say this because, if you’re not into changing things up, or trying to get things to help try and fix things you won’t enjoy it because it gives you a lot of advice like, “Negative perspectives do the opposite.”. This advice may be good to someone who is willing to change, but if you’re not a guy that likes to try and change things then you may find it hard to read because you don’t want to change. I also think that if you’re not good at trying to put a bunch of advice and training into one goal this book is not for you because you need to be able to put all his advice into one goal if not this book will seem like a huge blur. Personally, I liked this book.
I found this book very enjoyable in the end because it had taught me valuable lessons of how to power through and succeed at certain things in my sports and in my life. For example this sentence real stood up to me, “Shouldn’t you be thankful for your relatively good health, your lifestyle, your mental and physical skills, your opportunities, your strengths, your freedom, your friends or family, and your capacity to direct the rest of your life?”. This stook out to me because it connects to me and the world today. For example, most of us, including me, don’t realize how lucky we are to have certain skills and strengths, certain opportunities, our freedom, and the friends and family we have. So, in conclusion, this book has taught me to be thankful and to realize how good I am and can be if I just take the right preparation and take the right mindset so I can develop and become great.
Terry Orlick
“Who cares what others think?Their thinking can’t hurt you. You don’t have to be a hero. You can be whoever you want to be. Just being, with no pretense, it’s fine.”. This quote is just one of many that makes you strive for excellence by helping to train your mind, by mentally training you to become great in sports and in everyday life.
In Pursuit of Excellence, by Terry Orlick, who is a sport psychologist, writes a nonfiction book about personal experience of what he has learned throughout his studies and what he has learned in his experience with talking with professional athletes around the world. The book digs deep into you by trying to teach you how to overcome certain obstacles to face in different roadblocks that you will face in different opportunities in life.
When reading this book I thought the structure of how he made up the book was very well organized as the author made sure different tasks, tips and reviews from athletes flowed. However, I also thought it was very confusing at parts because at different chapters he would talk about a new topic, but when reading about the new topic it felt like I was reading about the previous topic from the last chapter. For example, in the chapter one it talks about commitment. It states,“Are your goals clear, challenging, and targeted at being or contributing your best?” ,but in the third chapter it says “A commitment to do quality work is prerequisite for excellence, but unless you also master the art of focus control you will continue to fall short of your goals or dreams. Excellence requires the development of strong, positive focusing skills, as well as an openness to learn from others.” To me this meant the same thing just in a different perspective , so I found some parts of the book like this. But, besides the beginning where the repetitive topics were the book flowed very well. For example it talks about what we should think about at the start of athletic events to get our minds prepared all the way until what we learn and should teach our mind to do at the end of an event.
I feel like anyone who is committed to try and make a difference with their mind and try and change things up to help with a certain roadblock, or anyone who wants to try and help to fix the way they think about something could read this book. I say this because, if you’re not into changing things up, or trying to get things to help try and fix things you won’t enjoy it because it gives you a lot of advice like, “Negative perspectives do the opposite.”. This advice may be good to someone who is willing to change, but if you’re not a guy that likes to try and change things then you may find it hard to read because you don’t want to change. I also think that if you’re not good at trying to put a bunch of advice and training into one goal this book is not for you because you need to be able to put all his advice into one goal if not this book will seem like a huge blur. Personally, I liked this book.
I found this book very enjoyable in the end because it had taught me valuable lessons of how to power through and succeed at certain things in my sports and in my life. For example this sentence real stood up to me, “Shouldn’t you be thankful for your relatively good health, your lifestyle, your mental and physical skills, your opportunities, your strengths, your freedom, your friends or family, and your capacity to direct the rest of your life?”. This stook out to me because it connects to me and the world today. For example, most of us, including me, don’t realize how lucky we are to have certain skills and strengths, certain opportunities, our freedom, and the friends and family we have. So, in conclusion, this book has taught me to be thankful and to realize how good I am and can be if I just take the right preparation and take the right mindset so I can develop and become great.
June 7, 2022
like pulling teeth
March 31, 2013
If you're the type who recognises the similarities between succeeding in sports and other areas of life, then Terry Orlick's "In Pursuit of Excellence" is a book that you will definitely want to have on your to-read list.
As a sports psychologist, Orlick takes us through different case studies and explains how an individual's psychological state plays a fundamentally important role in determining success.
While Orlick draws from many examples involving athletes, the lessons that he leaves us with are universally applicable. In particular, he emphasises the importance of focus as the "the core of excellence" and explains throughout the book how it can unlock the door to your true potential.
Consumed in our busy everyday lives, it's often all too easy to forget why we think and act in certain ways, so Orlick's book also serves as a reminder of the type of thinking that should be ingrained in our minds in order to succeed in any endeavour.
As cliché as it might sound, mastery of the mind is the key to fulfilling our true potential. It's incredibly hard to do, perhaps the hardest task facing each and every one of us throughout our lives, but as Orlick reminds us, the stakes and potential pay-offs are so high that we ignore it at our own peril.
As a sports psychologist, Orlick takes us through different case studies and explains how an individual's psychological state plays a fundamentally important role in determining success.
While Orlick draws from many examples involving athletes, the lessons that he leaves us with are universally applicable. In particular, he emphasises the importance of focus as the "the core of excellence" and explains throughout the book how it can unlock the door to your true potential.
Consumed in our busy everyday lives, it's often all too easy to forget why we think and act in certain ways, so Orlick's book also serves as a reminder of the type of thinking that should be ingrained in our minds in order to succeed in any endeavour.
As cliché as it might sound, mastery of the mind is the key to fulfilling our true potential. It's incredibly hard to do, perhaps the hardest task facing each and every one of us throughout our lives, but as Orlick reminds us, the stakes and potential pay-offs are so high that we ignore it at our own peril.
April 19, 2013
Recently a friend has introduced me to a set of cds, and while listening to one of them it reminded me of this book I read while pursuing my masters degree. I was really into this book. I took chapter notes etc. I did a presentation to my classmates about the book. I borrowed it from the instructor and now I want to get my hands on it again to reread it. The power of positive thought processes is the core of the message.
November 13, 2019
Got this book when I was a cross country runner in college. With this book I was able to get my time down and even received an award for Most Improved Runner. At the beginning my times were around 35-36 minutes. My personal best at the last college meet I ever had was 27 minutes 21 seconds. True testament to how good this book is.
June 20, 2011
Written by a sport psychologist, this book is written primarily to help athletes enhance their performance, but I found a lot of value that can be applied to other aspects of life. Chapters on goal setting and positive imagery were most beneficial for me.
August 26, 2017
Terry Orlick es una autoridad en Psicología del Deporte que ha ayudado a cientos de deportistas olímpicos a alcanzar sus metas, además de trabajar también con cirujanos, artistas o astronautas. No puedo decir que me haya leído realmente el libro, le di una lectura rápida hace un año en una biblioteca y otra más rápida hace unos días en Google Books con un montón de páginas arrancadas 🙂
Este libro está relacionado con el concepto de “Fluir” del que ya os he hablado en este blog y también nos muestra un camino para lograr la excelencia en aquello que hagamos a través de siete elementos: compromiso, atención dirigida, confianza, visualizaciones positivas, preparación mental, control de la distracción y aprendizaje constante.
En cuanto tenga oportunidad prometo comprarlo, leerlo entero y poneros un resumen aquí, mientras tanto os dejo con algunas de las frases del libro que me han llamado la atención.
«La primera máxima que has de seguir es creer en ti mismo y en lo que has elegido hacer. Si has elegido ser enfermera, tienes que creer en ti como enfermera y trabajar tan duro como puedas para llegar a ser una buena enfermera. No importa cual sea tu profesión, opino que si intentas al 100% ser todo lo bueno que puedes ser, no importa lo bien que lo hagas siempre que tengas fe en ti y te esfuerces todo lo que puedas.»
El poder más grande que tengo en la vida es el poder de elegir. Soy la máxima autoridad sobre mi. Yo me hago a mi mismo.
Allá donde va tu mente va todo lo demás.
La excelencia personal sólo es posible si tienes un sueño y un plan, y no te rindes cuando aparecen los obstáculos.
He probado el enfoque de “hazlo cuando te apetezca” y eso no parece ayudarme a avanzar rápidamente hacia mi meta. Pero cuando me fijo objetivos muy específicos a corto y a largo plazo, las cosas empiezan a funcionar.
Cada persona parte de un punto distinto de acuerdo con sus habilidades personales. Si desarrollas e incrementas esas habilidades, aunque sea durante cortos periodos de tiempo, estarás más vivo, probarás la esencia de la superación personal.
Este libro está relacionado con el concepto de “Fluir” del que ya os he hablado en este blog y también nos muestra un camino para lograr la excelencia en aquello que hagamos a través de siete elementos: compromiso, atención dirigida, confianza, visualizaciones positivas, preparación mental, control de la distracción y aprendizaje constante.
En cuanto tenga oportunidad prometo comprarlo, leerlo entero y poneros un resumen aquí, mientras tanto os dejo con algunas de las frases del libro que me han llamado la atención.
«La primera máxima que has de seguir es creer en ti mismo y en lo que has elegido hacer. Si has elegido ser enfermera, tienes que creer en ti como enfermera y trabajar tan duro como puedas para llegar a ser una buena enfermera. No importa cual sea tu profesión, opino que si intentas al 100% ser todo lo bueno que puedes ser, no importa lo bien que lo hagas siempre que tengas fe en ti y te esfuerces todo lo que puedas.»
El poder más grande que tengo en la vida es el poder de elegir. Soy la máxima autoridad sobre mi. Yo me hago a mi mismo.
Allá donde va tu mente va todo lo demás.
La excelencia personal sólo es posible si tienes un sueño y un plan, y no te rindes cuando aparecen los obstáculos.
He probado el enfoque de “hazlo cuando te apetezca” y eso no parece ayudarme a avanzar rápidamente hacia mi meta. Pero cuando me fijo objetivos muy específicos a corto y a largo plazo, las cosas empiezan a funcionar.
Cada persona parte de un punto distinto de acuerdo con sus habilidades personales. Si desarrollas e incrementas esas habilidades, aunque sea durante cortos periodos de tiempo, estarás más vivo, probarás la esencia de la superación personal.
June 3, 2021
My sports psychology professor recommended this book and I was intrigued at the start. Right away I realized how repetitive the author was. I agree with most of what the author conveyed in this book but I think certain areas were very simple. If you have ever played sports then you have probably been exposed to many of the author's insights. I wish the author would have dove into a couple of his more passionate areas deeper. Instead he covered almost every motivational strategy I have heard of but just briefly. My favorite part of the book was the stories from other athletes that he has worked with. I especially liked the exert from the triathlon in the middle of the book. I think that this book is great for people who want an overview of motivational techniques. I also think this book was nice to solidify my mindset because I was already doing many of the strategies brought up in the book. Looking back, I wish this book had less preaching by the author and more examples that showed his ideas.
December 11, 2020
This book focuses on, basically, sports psychology, providing the typical insights to mental preparation for peak performance. Thought the title makes claims to winning "in sport and life," it really focuses much more on sport. As a competitive marksman, I didn't find it gave me many more insights into getting the most out of my sport. There's a bit too much "filler," and the plugging of the author's other books I found a bit off-putting as I don't like books that tend to be "infomercials" for other books or products the author wishes to sell. Still, if you're engaged in a sport and finding yourself having problems with focusing on the right things to maximize your potential, you may find this book helpful.
June 11, 2024
Great book but very repetitive
I wanted to read this book because, as a business leader, I feel there are similarities between running a business and being a high performance athlete. There were so great tips in the book that I will bring to my team, but I felt the themes were repetitive.
I wanted to read this book because, as a business leader, I feel there are similarities between running a business and being a high performance athlete. There were so great tips in the book that I will bring to my team, but I felt the themes were repetitive.
January 3, 2018
A top notch sport psychology book
September 30, 2019
Practical, each chapter reads easily with direct application and relevant examples. Great guide for sports and everyday excellence.
May 29, 2020
Good practical advise, however it has too much of a "self-help" worldview. Must be filtered and appreciated through a Biblical worldview
March 25, 2025
I very much enjoyed In Pursuit of Excellence. This book was given to me by a Power 5 head coach whom I worked with at a past job and it really lays out in a powerful way how to take control of your dreams and aspirations while providing concrete steps to achieving them. While the primary context is in sport, the book recognizes and applies the strategies to any pursuit in life.
First off, the book is organized really well so it sets up the keys to excellence, then talks about points of development for excellence, finishing out with the peripheries to completing the journey to excellence. I particularly enjoyed the exercises in focus and relaxation and find that they are highly beneficial to me in everyday life.
I also appreciate the perspective of Orlick in his work with individual athletes and teams. It helps to contextualize his recommendations, while his usage of quotes and interviews underscores that this stuff is real and it works.
Overall, I found this to be a lovely and engaging read if you are in the right headspace to begin the journey of personal growth and are willing to put in the work to achieve your dreams.
First off, the book is organized really well so it sets up the keys to excellence, then talks about points of development for excellence, finishing out with the peripheries to completing the journey to excellence. I particularly enjoyed the exercises in focus and relaxation and find that they are highly beneficial to me in everyday life.
I also appreciate the perspective of Orlick in his work with individual athletes and teams. It helps to contextualize his recommendations, while his usage of quotes and interviews underscores that this stuff is real and it works.
Overall, I found this to be a lovely and engaging read if you are in the right headspace to begin the journey of personal growth and are willing to put in the work to achieve your dreams.
September 18, 2024
Once again, sure wish I knew books like these when younger. This is a thorough, in depth coverage of all those values and disciplines needed for all walks of life, not just sports. You know - focus, goals, commitments, adaptability, and on and on. A terrific classic!
November 7, 2012
In the book In Pursuit of Excellence, by Terry Orlick the author is trying to give athletes and also just regular peoople advice about how to push through certain situations and how to bring the best out of yourself in given situations. Also, in this book the author gives you the ability to rate yourself on certain things and in the things that you dont do to good on when you rate yourself, he tells you to go out and work on these certain things because it will make you a lot better than you were. This book i believe doesnt only make athletes improve but allows other types of people to improve as well and involves some lif lessons that anybody can relate to and learn off of. This book ended by talking about choosing your own self direction. I though using this topic to end the book was a good idea because what this chaper is really telling you is that you choose if your life is going to improve or get worse. If you want your life to be good and for you to be happy and successful then you would obviously take all of the life lessons that this book provides and feed off of them to make yourself a better individual. If you want your life to either stay the same of get worse then after reading this book you wouldnt try to improve the ratings that you did bad on and you wont even think about following the life lessons that the book is trying to teach you. so overall i think this chapter was good to end the book on. This specific ending made me think about what i was going to do as a person and me personally am always trying to be the best i can be so i am going to try my hardest to work on what this book taught me.
A piece of advice or wisdom that reasonated with me while reading this this book was in chapter 19 when it talked about learning from your setbacks. I can relate to this chapter because me being an athlete and almost every athlete always go through a period of time where they dont do so good. For example, last year in basketball i made about one out of every hundred shots i took it seemed and i started to get down on myself and it affected my whole game completely. But then towards the middle of the season i figured that i couldnt just let one phase of my game ruin everything that i had. So everyday after school right when i came home i just went outside and worked on my shot for two hours everyday and got back into being the type of shooter that i used to be. And now everytime im doing bad at something or im feeling down i just think back to when this happened and how i got through it. So now when anything happens to me i know exactaly what to do to get myself better and back to how i used to be which is really what this chapter was trying to teach you.
Overall my thoughts about this book arent very well because it really is a tough book to read and is confusing to follow. But i do think that this book teaches readers a lot of important life lessons that if everybody followed, the world would be much better. Honestly i may recommend this book to others because i think that everybody should get what this author is trying to teach his readers because it is some pretty smart things that would help people out. I would recommend this book to athletes especially but others may enjoy and learn a lot of things from this book as well. So if you are looking for advice or a type of guideline i would recommend this book to you because it does teach a lot of things that i believe are important to all types of people.
A piece of advice or wisdom that reasonated with me while reading this this book was in chapter 19 when it talked about learning from your setbacks. I can relate to this chapter because me being an athlete and almost every athlete always go through a period of time where they dont do so good. For example, last year in basketball i made about one out of every hundred shots i took it seemed and i started to get down on myself and it affected my whole game completely. But then towards the middle of the season i figured that i couldnt just let one phase of my game ruin everything that i had. So everyday after school right when i came home i just went outside and worked on my shot for two hours everyday and got back into being the type of shooter that i used to be. And now everytime im doing bad at something or im feeling down i just think back to when this happened and how i got through it. So now when anything happens to me i know exactaly what to do to get myself better and back to how i used to be which is really what this chapter was trying to teach you.
Overall my thoughts about this book arent very well because it really is a tough book to read and is confusing to follow. But i do think that this book teaches readers a lot of important life lessons that if everybody followed, the world would be much better. Honestly i may recommend this book to others because i think that everybody should get what this author is trying to teach his readers because it is some pretty smart things that would help people out. I would recommend this book to athletes especially but others may enjoy and learn a lot of things from this book as well. So if you are looking for advice or a type of guideline i would recommend this book to you because it does teach a lot of things that i believe are important to all types of people.
September 16, 2012
The author reritorates the need for positivity within preformance and gives the reader a chance of self evaluation. The book itself presents itself as a basic argument for positivity and focus, which you can achieve by looking at your past preformances and learning from it, (what works well, what doesnt) and then acting upon the feedback you have gained through this exercise. Content of the book also covers self imagery and distraction (external or internal). Above all the book provides you with basic ideas, and case studies to supplement throughout.
July 29, 2009
I read this awhile ago for a sports physiology class.
I definitely remember liking it and didn't find it boring or tedious.
The author had also been involved in fencing and I've met and know some of the athletes and coaches that he mentioned in the book which was rather exciting, seeing as fencing is never mentioned in anything.
We also have some of his CD's lying around the fencing center...
I definitely remember liking it and didn't find it boring or tedious.
The author had also been involved in fencing and I've met and know some of the athletes and coaches that he mentioned in the book which was rather exciting, seeing as fencing is never mentioned in anything.
We also have some of his CD's lying around the fencing center...
January 13, 2016
In this fabulous coffee table book the reader will learn simple ways to excel in life. It explains how to turn challenges into opportunities in every aspect of lifes lessons.The choice of focus. Perspective is everything. Commitment. How to turn off worries. How to cope with overload. Managing stress, learning self control and so much more. AN EXCELLENT READ!!!!! THANK YOU GOODREADS FIRSTREADS FOR THIS FREE BOOK!!!!!
Currently reading
January 22, 2009Given to me by my friend's Uncle Terry. He's an accomplished Sports Psychologist and travels all over the world to work with athletes and olympians etc... to maintain focus and sharpness under pressure and much more I presume.
I'm sure it will help with my own focus in forms of training i'm enduring. I just started it, but so far so good.
I'm sure it will help with my own focus in forms of training i'm enduring. I just started it, but so far so good.
November 24, 2011
I really enjoyed this - to get the most out of it you need to read it a few times. The first time is just for pleasure - the next few times you can take more out of it.
If you struggle sometimes with finding you or keeping your focus on something - the strategies work well.
If you struggle sometimes with finding you or keeping your focus on something - the strategies work well.
September 4, 2016
I used all that down time to my advantage and would be telling myself not only that was I going to come out of this super rested and super motivated but also that my training was going to benefit from the time off.
April 2, 2009
I read this book during my senior year of college and enjoyed the principles and motivation it gave me.
April 11, 2009
A solid, useful book by a leading sport psychologist. Easy read.
Read
July 28, 2011Este libro enseña a desarrollar un punto de vista más positivo, para lograr alcancanzar las obligaciones. Muy bueno para deportistas.
August 7, 2012
This is an essential book for athletes in all sports. I have read it on more than one occassion.
August 24, 2012
Exactly what it says on the cover. Probably not interesting to everyone - I think the message here was FOCUS ON YOUR GOAL. Check.
March 1, 2016
Foundational ideas in sport psychology. Should be in every coach and athletes bookshelf
December 22, 2014
I really didn't like this book at all. His approach to psychology in sport didn't help me and he seemed so wordy. Not my thing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews