'The Passion Paradox' explores the fine line between passion and burnout in the pursuit of excellence. Authors Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness reveal how an obsession with success can lead to detrimental consequences, undermining both performance and personal well-being. Through engaging stories and scientific research, they offer insights on cultivating healthier passion that fuels achievement without sacrificing mental health. This compelling read challenges the traditional views of success, motivating readers to rethink their drive and ambition. Are you navigating the perilous waters of passion in your own life?
By Brad Stulberg, Steve Magness
Published: 2019
""Passion is not just the fire that drives us; it’s also the fuel that can burn us if we’re not careful. To truly thrive, we must learn to balance our fervor with purpose and introspection.""
The coauthors of the bestselling Peak Performance dive into the fascinating science behind passion, showing how it can lead to a rich and meaningful life while also illuminating the ways in which it is a double-edged sword. Here’s how to cultivate a passion that will take you to great heights—while minimizing the risk of an equally great fall. Common advice is to find and follow your passion. A life of passion is a good life, or so we are told. But it's not that simple. Rarely is passion something that you just stumble upon, and the same drive that fuels breakthroughs—whether they're athletic, scientific, entrepreneurial, or artistic—can be every bit as destructive as it is productive. Yes, passion can be a wonderful gift, but only if you know how to channel it. If you're not careful, passion can become an awful curse, leading to endless seeking, suffering, and burnout. Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness once again team up, this time to demystify passion, showing readers how they can find and cultivate their passion, sustainably harness its power, and avoid its dangers. They ultimately argue that passion and balance--that other virtue touted by our culture--are incompatible, and that to find your passion, you must lose balance. And that's not always a bad thing. They show readers how to develop the right kind of passion, the kind that lets you achieve great things without ruining your life. Swift, compact, and powerful, this thought-provoking book combines captivating stories of extraordinarily passionate individuals with the latest science on the biological and psychological factors that give rise to—and every bit as important, sustain—passion.
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“"Passion is not just the fire that drives us; it’s also the fuel that can burn us if we’re not careful. To truly thrive, we must learn to balance our fervor with purpose and introspection."”
The Passion Paradox
By Brad Stulberg, Steve Magness
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Brad Stulberg is an author and sought-after speaker known for his exploration of performance, well-being, and the intersection of the two. He is the co-author of the bestselling book "The Passion Paradox" and the author of "Peak Performance," where he examines the science behind sustained excellence and human potential. Stulberg's writing is characterized by its blend of research-backed insights and practical applications, encouraging readers to pursue both achievement and meaning in their lives. His work often draws on principles from psychology, athletics, and the arts, with a focus on cultivating resilience and mindfulness.
Steve Magness is an acclaimed author and performance coach specializing in the science of human performance and mental toughness. He is the co-author of the books ‘The Passion Paradox: How to Identify Your Passions, Feel More Energized, and Create a Life You Love’ and ‘Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness,’ which explore the intersection of science and everyday life, helping readers cultivate resilience and passion in their pursuits. Known for his engaging and accessible writing style, Magness combines scientific research with practical application, making complex concepts relatable for a broad audience. He has contributed articles to various platforms, including psychology and performance magazines, and speaks internationally on topics related to mental strength, training, and personal development.
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