The author turns the analysis of performance on its side by postulating a set of questions.

Current management models view performance as a pyramid of levels: low, mid and high.

Low performers ask themselves, “What is the least I can do to keep my job?”

(Normal) Mid-level performers ask themselves, “How can I do a better job?”

High performers ask themselves, “How can I be the best?”

The author posits a new question: “What’s the problem with being a high performer?”

High performers resist feedback, resent being asked to do more, are simultaneously overwhelmed and bored, resent other employees who are not up to their standards, are jealous of others who surpass them and are no longer coachable.

So, if high performance is a bottleneck what’s beyond high performance?

The authors define meta performance in terms of the athlete. The first three questions all have finite answers. However, the athlete asks, “What am I capable of?”

The meat of the book pursues the answer to the athlete’s question.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in leadership or self-development.

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book reads like an advert for the two companies that are run by the author. Some of the ideas contained within the boom are interesting, but it begins by discussing the 10,000 hour idea from Malcolm Gladwell - a theory that has been universally panned as wildly inaccurate and a gross generalisation.

Once you get past the context setting, the book picks up a bit, and there are some practical questions to ask yourself and ideas fo consider.

Overall, it's not a bad book, it just feels quite self-c9ngratulatory and very keen to appear academic, using often unnecessarily complex sentences to make a simple point. Good ideas, just somewhat lacking in execution.

What really makes the difference between an average athlete and one who puts everything and then some into what they are doing? This is what this book is about. Every coach should read this. In fact, evert athlete who really wants to turn on their best should too,.