Coming soon · Book Profile
Great Course - Psychology of Performance
A clinical sport psychologist distills the science of excellence into a practical system for performing your best in any domain by training your mind to value, accept, focus, and commit—no matter how you feel.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
The Psychology of Performance is a tour through modern sport and performance psychology that overturns the myth of innate talent and shows that excellence is built through deliberate practice, clarity of values, and mental skills anyone can develop. Drawing on acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, self-determination theory, and decades of research, Dr. Eddie O'Connor teaches readers to stop fighting their thoughts and feelings and instead accept them, focus relentlessly on what they value, and commit to action 'no matter what.' Along the way he tackles the dark sides of performance—anxiety, choking, perfectionism, burnout, injury, and disordered eating—and the social context of teams, fans, parents, and aging athletes. The result is a comprehensive, evidence-based playbook for being your best in sport, art, business, and life.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A performer—athlete, artist, professional, coach, or parent—who wants to consistently be their best and reach excellence in what they care about.
- The problem
- Inconsistent performance, choking under pressure, plateaus, anxiety, burnout, injury, and the gap between their effort and their results. They feel held back by negative thoughts and emotions, self-doubt, fear of failure, and the belief that they may simply lack the talent to succeed.
- The plan
- Discover that talent is overrated and commit to deliberate practice with specific goals, focus, and feedback.
- Clarify your values and translate them into linked short- and long-term, process and outcome goals.
- Build mindfulness and acceptance to relate differently to thoughts, emotions, and pain.
- Develop core mental skills: motivation, imagery, confidence and self-talk, focused attention, and routines.
- Guard against performance barriers—anxiety, perfectionism, burnout, injury, and body-image pressures—with self-compassion and recovery.
- The payoff
- Consistently high performance under any condition, with greater poise and focus. · Internal motivation, resilience through adversity, and freedom from being ruled by thoughts and feelings. · Healthier striving for excellence with self-compassion, lower burnout, and faster recovery from setbacks and injury.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.