The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World - Hardcover

Stulberg, Brad

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0063385945 ISBN 13: 9780063385948

Publisher: HarperOne, 2026

Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY BESTSELLER
NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB MUST READ

The definitive book on excellence: a practical guide to creating, contributing, and actualizing your potential amid the craziness of modern life, from bestselling author Brad Stulberg

"An absolutely beautiful book."—Steve Kerr, nine-time NBA Champion; Coach of the Golden State Warriors and Team USA

Whether you are practicing guitar, pushing your limits at the gym, leading a team, honing a craft, studying medicine, or giving yourself the time and space to finally write that book, the pursuit of excellence is a big part of what makes life worth living—and it is for all of us. Unlike "pseudo-excellence," which is about hustle culture and hacks, genuine excellence is about challenging yourself in worthwhile endeavors, focusing on what matters most, and expressing the unique qualities that make you who you are. Too often, we get caught up in convenience and distraction to the detriment of our true potential. The good news is that we can set ourselves on a better path, one that includes more aliveness and resonance, more connection to self and others.

Here, Stulberg finds convergence between modern science, age-old philosophy, and daily practice to explain that we are wired to strive for excellence—it is what we are here to do, core to our humanity. Yet our environment often works against us. The path he shares to reclaim excellence means learning about:

• Defining, living, and working in alignment with your values
• Cultivating focus and concentration
• The power of prioritizing consistency over intensity
• Building durable confidence
• The connection between mastery and mattering
• Developing the courage to care deeply
• Designing environments that support excellence
• Selecting goals based not just on what you want to achieve, but on who you want to become
• Overcoming the traps, pitfalls, and barriers to excellence including alienation, chasing a never-ending supply of dopamine, and addiction to external validation and the opinions of others
• Applying the principles and insights of excellence to one's organizations and communities

At its core, excellence is a deeply-fulfilling process of becoming—the best performer, and person, you can be.

About this title

About the Author

Brad Stulberg researches, writes, and coaches on performance, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He is the bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness, Master of Change, and co-author of Peak Performance. Stulberg regularly contributes to the New York Times and his work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic, among many other outlets. He serves as the co-host of the podcast "excellence, actually" and is on faculty at the University of Michigan. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperOne
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0063385945
• ISBN 13: 9780063385948
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288