EPIC Performance: Lessons from 100 Executives and Endurance Athletes on Reaching Your Peak

by Bryan Gillette

Overview

Are you reaching your peak? This book will guide you there and help you go higher.

Everyone at some point in their life wants to do something big. Something EPIC. But the clock on achieving your dreams is ticking fast—probably faster than you think.

From managing multimillion-dollar projects with hundreds of employees to running 205 miles around Lake Tahoe in 76 hours to cycling 300 miles in a single day, performance expert and ultradistance athlete Bryan Gillette knows what it takes to achieve extraordinary results.

After interviewing a diverse group of more than 100 high-achieving executives and endurance athletes, he developed the five pillars of the EPIC Performance framework to simplify the steps so that you can walk your own path to doing things you never thought possible and living a more fulfilling life.

E = Envision: Clearly see your goals for your company, career, and life.

P = Plan: Create a step-by-step blueprint for making your dream a reality.

I = Iterate: Repeatedly practice with intention and evaluate your performance.

C = Collaborate: Work with others, and learn from those who have gone before you.

Perform: Put your plan into action.

Filled with timeless practical advice, unforgettable stories, and expert-tested exercises that will reorient your daily life from average to epic, EPIC Performance is a must-read, no-nonsense guide for those looking to do big things.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637552179
Publisher:	Amplify Publishing
Publication date:	08/16/2022
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Foreword 1

Preface 9

How to Use This Book 9

Prologue - Bears, Bears, Everywhere! 11

No Excuses 21

Pillar I Envision 33

Chapter 1 Define Your Purpose 39

Chapter 2 Stretch Yourself 51

Chapter 3 Hone Your Dream Bigger Strategy 63

Pillar II Plan 71

Chapter 4 Get Started 75

Chapter 5 Develop the Plan 87

Chapter 6 Assess Obstacles and Risks 95

Pillar III Iterate 107

Chapter 7 Practice with Intention 113

Chapter 8 Apply the Data 129

Chapter 9 Manage Obstacles and Risks 139

Pillar IV Collaborate 151

Chapter 10 Learn from Others 155

Chapter 11 Cultivate Key Advisors 163

Chapter 12 Prepare Your Team 171

Pillar V Perform 181

Chapter 13 Focus on Your Goal 185

Chapter 14 Persevere through Tough Times 193

Chapter 15 Aim Higher 209

Epilogue - Turning Bears Into Bambi 215

Overview of Interviews 219

Acknowledgments 223

Endnotes 227

Editorial Reviews

"Anytime you want to be at your best, you need a vision of where you will go, a strategy for how you will get there, and a clear mind to keep you focused. EPIC Performance gives you that road map and guides you so you don't get distracted by the shiny objects." - BRET HEDICAN, NHL Stanley Cup winner; two-time Olympian; San Jose Sharks broadcaster

"If you are a dreamer who is committed to taking action, EPIC Performance is a must-read! Bryan lays out a plan of purpose, inspiration, grit, and determination that will transform your mindset from 'I wish I would have...' to 'I'm glad I did....'"
- PAUL EPSTEIN, former NFL and NBA executive, bestselling author of The Power of Playing Offense

"EPIC Performance is a great read with practical advice wrapped around an inspirational story. If you are looking to take that next step in your organization or your life, this book will help you reach higher and achieve extraordinary results." - LAILA TARRAF, former Chief People Officer, Allbirds and Peet's Coffee & Tea, and bestselling author of Strong Like Water


"Reaching an epic goal or peak performance is easier said than done. EPIC Performance gives readers all the tools, action plans, and encouragement to do nothing less. When you finish reading this book, you will be excited to take the first steps that can and will eventually lead to reaching your own epic goal." - JULIETTE GOODRICH, CBS News Anchor/Reporter

"Starting my first company was an exciting but scary prospect. EPIC Performance provides an excellent framework for moving toward and through these crucial and frightening moments by building on your innate drive, determination, and vision. I wish I had these insights back then." - JOHN NEWTON,
Founder, Documentum and Alfresco

From the Publisher

★ 2022-07-19
A debut business book offers advice from business leaders and athletes on achieving peak performance.

There is an elegant simplicity to this work that belies its depth. Beneath the surface of what seems to be a straightforward guide relying on an acronym is rich content deserving of serious consideration. Gillette’s own intriguing experiences as an endurance athlete, coupled with words of wisdom from over 100 fascinating people, make for compelling reading. The author’s credentials as a past human resources professional and current performance coach add to the volume’s veracity. The book is divided into five “pillars,” four of which are represented by the acronym EPIC (“Envision, Plan, Iterate, Collaborate”); the fifth one is “Perform.” Each pillar is succinctly summarized at the beginning by Gillette, who also helpfully includes synonyms, such as Dreamand Conceptualizefor Envision. Each pillar comprises three chapters, or “behaviors.” This structure cleverly provides continuity across the pillars, and it enhances the readability by breaking the text into manageable bites. Chapters are equally consistent; each one starts with a relevant quotation and ends with “Questions To Ask Yourself” and “Exercises,” helping readers to engage with the material and maintain focus. The author often refers to his remarkable athletic challenges—such as running races that were hundreds of miles—using them metaphorically to relate to personal and business leadership. These anecdotes are integrated with descriptions of business leaders’ challenges as well as their observations, all nicely fitting into the appropriate pillar. The Iterate pillar is particularly absorbing because it focuses on “trying, failing, tweaking, and trying again until you get it more right and then moving on.” The counsel conveyed in this section is especially valuable, including “Practicing when it doesn’t matter pays dividends when it does matter”; “You get what you inspect, not what you expect”; and “Big problems are easy to see but hard to fix, while little problems are hard to see but easy to fix.” These are a few examples of the meaningful, memorable lines that frequently appear in the work and should resonate with any high achiever.

An outstanding performance playbook.

Kirkus Reviews