1: Perhaps we’ve been there. 

A “peak experience.” Sometimes called “Being in the Zone” or a “Runner’s High.” That feeling of “being unconscious.”

The scientists call it “flow,” or being in a “flow state.”

It’s the mental state when we are fully immersed. Energetically focused. Total concentration. Complete absorption. Time seems to melt away. 

Being in flow is one of the secrets to peak performance. So, if we want to … continue reading

1: New year. New us. 

That’s a possibility. But what precisely are we going to do differently?

One of my big learnings last year was around the power of intrinsic motivators. 

We often set goals where our reward is getting a promotion or a raise. Or being recognized for winning a game. These are examples of extrinsic motivators. Things outside of us. 

There’s nothing wrong with extrinsic motivation. But the … continue reading

1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.

Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we are working on at PCI.

So, what is the difference between the different types of motivation? 

Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of us. It’s when we do something for financial gain, recognition, or to … continue reading

1: “Every morning, the writer faces a blank page, the painter an empty canvas, the innovator a dozen directions to go at once,” Steven Kotler writes in The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer.

“There is something deeply exhausting about the year-in and year-out requirements of imagination,” he notes.

How do we overcome this daily challenge?

“The advice that has helped me solve this slog came from Nobel … continue reading

When we think about creativity, we typically think about a particular type: The day-to-day creativity that we use to solve the problem at hand.

But there is a second type of creativity, Steven Kotler writes in The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer.

“Ten years ago, I started investigating a critical but rarely discussed type of creativity,” he writes, “I got curious about what it took to sustain … continue reading

1: DO THE HARD THING reads the sign above author Steven Kotler‘s desk.

Yes, the phrase is “a great reminder to attack life’s challenges,” but that’s not the point, he writes in The Art of the Impossible.

Its “real function is much smaller: It’s to remind me to do one extra item on my to-do list before I take my first break,” he writes.  

“If my day’s first … continue reading

1: Grit is “the intersection of passion and perseverance,” University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth tells us.  

Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle’s observation three hundred years ago is even simpler: “No pressure, no diamonds.”

We all know the path to consistent high performance is a bumpy road with many rocks, boulders, and unexpected hairpin turns.  

In his book, The Art of Impossible, author Steven Kotler identifies three indigents required for … continue reading

1: Lumberjacks.  

The researchers divided this ferociously independent group into teams. “Some teams were told to work smart and fast, but no pressure, do your best,” writes Steven Kotler in The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer.

“Others were given quotas. This much wood for a good week of work, this much wood for a great week,” he writes. “It’s important to note that there was zero financial … continue reading

1: Author Steven Kotler wakes up every day at 4 am and starts writing.  

“Does this demand grit?” he asks in his book The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer.

“Occasionally,” he writes. “But mostly, grit takes care of itself because I have curiosity, passion, and purpose. When I wake up, I’m excited to see where the words will take me. Even on those crappy nights when I … continue reading