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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Chasing Excellence summary
Ben Bergeron
A Story About Building the World’s Fittest Athletes
15 mins
Brief summary
Chasing Excellence by Ben Bergeron is a guide to becoming a successful athlete and person. It provides insight into the mindset, habits, and strategies that elite athletes use to achieve their goals. The book also highlights the importance of community and support in reaching your full potential.
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Chasing Excellence
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Key idea 1 of 6
Commitment requires having a passion and the right habits.
If you’ve been working for a while, you’ve probably noticed a few employees who are content to do the absolute bare minimum that’s being asked of them. They might not be bad at their job, per se, but they certainly don’t have any passion for it.
And passion is the essential ingredient for being committed to your work, mastering a job and coming out ahead, even when the odds aren’t exactly in your favor.
In his TED Talk, entitled “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” Simon Sinek retells the story of the Wright brothers and their competitor, Samuel Pierpont Langley, in the race to build and fly the first airplane.
What many forget is that Langley had far more support and resources at his disposal but what he didn’t have was the kind of passion that was fueling the Wright brothers. So, while Langley was unwilling to personally test his planes, the brothers were committed to building and piloting their machines, which eventually gave them the winning edge. And nobody remembers Langley anymore.
So, a passionate commitment can be critical, but the competitive advantage also goes to those who have the right habits.
This is particularly the case for practicing, each and every day, no matter what. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell points to studies that show how the best violinists are the ones who spent more time playing their instrument. You’ve probably heard of the the famous 10,000 Hour Rule. That’s how much you have to practice before you can master a skill.
However, to achieve excellence, you've got to do more than just log the hours. What sets the great performers apart is deliberate practice, which involves pushing yourself past the normal limits, beyond your comfort zone and to new levels of greatness.
To make sure you’re practicing deliberately, ask yourself, “Am I giving this task my absolute attention?” “Am I using this time to its full potential?” and “What do I need to practice and improve at this stage?”
It’s important to remember, especially when starting out, that any discomfort you may be putting yourself through will pay off in the long run. As the saying goes: no pain, no gain. Waking up at 5 a.m. to go for a run may be the last thing you want to do, but this is the level of commitment that will lead you across the finish line first.
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What is Chasing Excellence about?
Chasing Excellence (2017) provides a revealing look at the mental toughness that is required of athletes who hope to be among the world’s best. Ben Bergeron takes readers behind the scenes to see what it takes to train for world-class competitions, and just how important mental fitness is to an athlete’s overall strength.
Chasing Excellence Review
Chasing Excellence (2017) by Ben Bergeron is a book that explores what it takes to achieve greatness in any endeavor. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It offers practical strategies and insights from Bergeron's experience as a CrossFit coach, helping readers apply the principles of excellence to their own lives.
- Combining personal anecdotes and stories from successful athletes, the book provides a wealth of inspiration and motivation for pursuing greatness.
- With its emphasis on mindset and character, the book goes beyond physical performance, offering valuable lessons on how to cultivate excellence in all aspects of life.
Best quote from Chasing Excellence
Your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, and your actions dictate your destiny.
—Ben Bergeron
Who should read Chasing Excellence?
- Anyone who aspires to excellence
- Athletes who want to strengthen their mental muscle
- Trainers and coaches
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Chasing Excellence FAQs
What is the main message of Chasing Excellence?
Chasing Excellence is about mastering the mindset and habits needed to achieve peak performance in any field.
How long does it take to read Chasing Excellence?
Chasing Excellence can be read in a few hours. The Blinkist summary takes just 15 minutes.
Is Chasing Excellence a good book? Is it worth reading?
Chasing Excellence is worth it. It provides practical guidance and inspiring stories for pursuing excellence.
Who is the author of Chasing Excellence?
Ben Bergeron is the author of Chasing Excellence.
What to read after Chasing Excellence?
If you're wondering what to read next after Chasing Excellence, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Mindful Athlete by George Mumford
- The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
- String Theory by David Foster Wallace
- Bounce by Matthew Syed
- Mindset by Carol Dweck
- Open by Andre Agassi
- The Pause Principle by Cynthia Kane
- Dynamic Drive by Molly Fletcher
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
- Tell Yourself a Better Lie by Marisa Peer