Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? Book Summary - Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? Book explained in key points
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Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? summary

Ben Hunt-Davis and Harriet Beveridge

Olympic-Winning Strategies for Everyday Success

4.1 (36 ratings)
13 mins

Brief summary

"Will It Make the Boat Go Faster?" by Ben Hunt-Davis and Harriet Beveridge is a motivational book that shares how the British rowing team went from losing to winning gold at the Olympic Games. It reveals practical ways to improve focus, team performance, and achieve one's goals.

Table of Contents

    Will It Make the Boat Go Faster?
    Summary of 6 key ideas

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    Olympians divide goals into four layers: the crazy, the concrete, the control and the everyday.

    If you want to be a winner, in life as well as in sports, setting clear goals is essential. A clear goal can focus your energy and help you learn and evolve as an individual.

    So how do the best of the best – Olympic champions – set goals for themselves?

    Olympians split goals into four layers: the crazy layer, the concrete layer, the control layer and the everyday layer.

    The crazy layer is where you can be bold, even excessive. These are the goals that light up your imagination, that don’t belong on a mundane to-do list. The author’s crazy layer goal, for example, was to win the gold medal in rowing at the Olympics!

    Yet to support your crazy layer, you need to provide a structure and a way to measure progress.

    The concrete layer helps you do this. For example, you can turn your crazy layer goal of winning Olympic gold into a concrete layer goal with specifics: aiming to row 2000 meters in five minutes and 18 seconds. Considering this is a world record pace, your dreams of gold may just come true!

    While the concrete layer should be precise and clear, not every element in this layer is under your control. The control layer thus helps you identify exactly what you can control when working toward success. For example, you certainly can’t control the weather nor the speed of your competitors, but you can control how much you practice.

    Finally, the everyday layer outlines the steps you need to take on a daily basis that are vital to achieving your crazy layer goal. For example, on Mondays you could complete 20 bench presses in five minutes. On Tuesdays, you could make sure to row with teammates for at least one hour, and so on throughout the week.

    This layered approach is the best way to take practical steps toward your highest goals.

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    What is Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? about?

    Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? (2011) shares with you the inspiration and strategies you need to succeed every day, as told through the emotionally charged experiences of a member of the gold medal-winning British rowing team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

    Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? Review

    Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? (2015) is an insightful book that shares the inspiring story of a British rowing crew winning gold at the Olympics. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • The book offers a practical approach to achieving goals by focusing on the smallest, most impactful actions that can make a difference.
    • With compelling anecdotes from the athletes themselves, it provides a glimpse into the mental and physical challenges they faced on their journey to success.
    • By emphasizing teamwork, perseverance, and the power of a positive mindset, the book offers valuable life lessons that extend far beyond the realm of rowing.

    Best quote from Will It Make the Boat Go Faster?

    Being clear on what we wanted to achieve meant we could always figure out the way ahead by asking, Will it make the boat go faster?

    —Ben Hunt-Davis and Harriet Beveridge
    example alt text

    Who should read Will It Make the Boat Go Faster??

    • Anyone needing a powerful strategy to achieve their goals
    • Anyone interested in how Olympic champions are made

    About the Author

    Former British rower and Olympic champion Ben Hunt-Davis is a keynote speaker, performance coach and a director at Will It Make the Boat Go Faster, a business development company.

    Harriet Beveridge is an executive coach who has worked with companies and organizations such as multinational bank HSBC, cable television channel MTV, the National Health Service (NHS) and American conglomerate 3M. Beveridge is also a comedian and runs the site HelpfulHumour.com.

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    Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? FAQs 

    What is the main message of Will It Make the Boat Go Faster??

    The main message of Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? is that focus, determination, and small improvements can lead to extraordinary achievements.

    How long does it take to read Will It Make the Boat Go Faster??

    The reading time for Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? varies depending on your reading speed, but it typically takes a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? a good book? Is it worth reading?

    Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? is an inspiring and practical book that is definitely worth reading for its valuable lessons on achieving success.

    Who is the author of Will It Make the Boat Go Faster??

    The authors of Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? are Ben Hunt-Davis and Harriet Beveridge.

    What to read after Will It Make the Boat Go Faster??

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