The Rise of Superman - by Steven Kotler (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A Wall Street Journal bestseller.

In this groundbreaking book, New York Times bestselling author Steven Kotler decodes the mystery of ultimate human performance. Drawing on over a decade of research and firsthand reporting with dozens of top action and adventure sports athletes like big wave legend Laird Hamilton, big mountain snowboarder Jeremy Jones, and skateboarding pioneer Danny Way, Kotler explores the frontier science of "flow," an optimal state of consciousness in which we perform and feel our best.

Building a bridge between the extreme and the mainstream, The Rise of Superman explains how these athletes are using flow to do the impossible and how we can use this information to radically accelerate performance in our own lives.

At its core, this is a book about profound possibility; about what is actually possible for our species; about where--if anywhere--our limits lie.

Review Quotes

Wall Street Journal Bestseller

New York Times Bestseller

"A thrill ride of a book, empowering in its implications of what any individual can achieve." --Kirkus Reviews

"A fascinating primer on how athletes of extreme sports use flow to accomplish what seem like impossible goals, such as skiing down cliffs or surfing 100-foot waves. But a close reading of the book also provides great insights into how everyday athletes can use flow in their workouts and the rest of their lives." --Financial Times

"Kotler takes on the latest research on flow through the lens of action and adventure athletics...[Writing] primarily about flow in high-stakes sports like surfing--where focus and concentration can be the difference between a tubular ride and a watery death--but the concept could also have big implications for the business world." --Fortune

"In this high-octane study, Steven Kotler explores 'flow', a neurochemically rich state in which cognitive and physiological processes mesh. The stupendous physical feats of the late ski-base jumper Shane McConkey and others are riveting. Equally surprising is what we know of flow science, such as how the brain's superior frontal gyrus deactivates to speed decision-making" --Nature

"The Rise of Superman is full of scientific explanations about why flow helps athletes perform at their peak, why this is on the upswing in recent decades, and how almost anybody can better tap their ultimate potential." --Surfer Magazine

"Kotler focuses on extreme sports for good reason. These athletes face a constant choice, "flow or die," and his book contains some compelling characters...Flow is rooted in the brain, and Kotler does a good job of explaining that science." --The Washington Post

"In Kotler's riveting and beautifully written book, he explains the neuroscience behind the mystery of the flow state, and provides the key to unlock innovation, creativity and ultimate achievement for leaders, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in the big and bold." --Peter Diamandis, New York Times bestselling author, founder of the X Prize, co-founder of Singularity University

"The Rise of Superman is an electrifying book about a potent state of mind. If you aren't inspired to brainhack your way up to the next level, start again at page one." --David Eagleman, Neuroscientist, New York Times bestselling author of Incognito

"The Rise of Superman is a page-turning, game-changing account of the secrets of ultimate human performance--a must read for anyone interested in seriously raising the level of their game." --Ray Kurzweil, Director of Engineering at Google, author of How to Create a Mind and The Singularity is Near

"In The Rise Of Superman, Steven Kotler breaks down the elusive and ecstatic 'flow state' that so many high performance athletes, musicians, and artists refer to as indispensable to their creativity and virtuosity--and in doing so, offers us a map to achieve massive upgrades in our capacities and potential." --Jason Silva, futurist, host of National Geographic's Brain Games

"The Rise Of Superman is a tour de force. Rare the book that is learned, clever, fascinating, and useful. This book is all four. Inspiring, impeccably researched, and supremely practical, Kotler's book is a must-read for everyone who wants in on the secrets on how to surpass their personal best." --Ned Hallowell, New York Times bestselling author and Harvard Medical School psychiatrist