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I bought The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul by Brad Stulberg because I loved a book he wrote with Steve Magness, Peak Performance. I gave that book a top review and named it one of the top five books I read in 2018.
I expected a lot from The Practice of Groundedness. I think Brad Stulberg delivered.
In some ways, the new book is an attempt to compensate for problems in the beliefs behind Peak Performance. Stulberg puts it this way early in the book.
"I thought the recipe for success and happiness was to cultivate a fruitful passion and then use the principles of Peak Performance to channel it, to climb toward mastery."
Living out those ideas had mixed results. Some people thrived. Others succumbed to a common condition in modern life. Stulberg names the problem “heroic individualism” which he describes as “an ongoing game of one-upmanship, against both yourself and others, paired with the limiting belief that measurable achievement is the only arbiter of success.”
Do you know some people who practice heroic individualism? How about you? I know that I have and that when I did, I wasn’t very happy, and I was only successful in one area of life. Everything else suffered.
Stulberg describes how he fell into the trap. He gives you a checklist (if you need one) to gauge whether you practice heroic individualism. Here’s why and how Stulberg says he wrote this book.
"Might there be a way to be more at ease and content, more solid and whole, and still perform to the utmost of your potential? To answer these questions, I looked to scientific research, ancient wisdom, and modern practice."
I think he did a good job. Here’s a quick overview of the book.
The book is divided into two parts. Part One is “The Principles of Grounded Success.” There are seven chapters.
The first chapter is an introduction to the book. It describes Stulberg’s experience and his thinking leading up to the writing.
The next six chapters are each about a single principle of groundedness. Each chapter has a description of the principle, followed by a “practice” section that suggests ways you can live out the principle in your life. Here’s a list of the chapters.
Chapter 2: Accept Where You Are to Get Where You Want to Go
Chapter3: Be Present So You Can Own Your Attention and Energy
Chapter 4: Be Patient and You’ll Get There Faster
Chapter 5: Embrace Vulnerability to Develop Genuine Strength and Confidence
Chapter 6: Build Deep Community
Chapter 7: Move Your Body to Ground Your Mind
Part 2 is about living a grounded life. There are two chapters. Chapter i8 is From Principles to Action and Chapter 9 is Focus on the Process, Let the Outcomes Take Care of Themselves. A conclusion follows.
Here’s where I have a quibble with the author. After advising us to choose simplicity over complexity in chapter 8, he says this.
"For each principle of groundedness, come up with one to three concrete actions that you can take to water it. Also come up with one to three concrete actions that it would be wise to stop. Think of each principle as a state of your inner being. Your job is to take an inventory of your everyday actions—your doing—and try to align them with your being. Be as simple and specific as possible."
I disagree with that. I think if you try that you try to take on an enormous amount of change all at once. That rarely ends well. Here’s a better way.
Read chapters two through seven. Either skip the practice sections altogether or skim them if they help you understand the principle. After you’ve read the whole book and reflected on what you’ve learned, pick one area to work on. Read the practice section for that area. Then pick one area of practice to try. As you work on that one, you will probably discover ways to integrate other areas into your life.
In a Nutshell
The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul is an excellent book with tons of solid suggestions to improve your quality of life.
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Customers say
Customers find this book to be an excellent compendium of practices that is easy to digest and practical to follow. Moreover, the content is filled with thoughtful insights and scientific research, with one customer noting how it draws from ancient philosophies. Customers appreciate the writing style, with one highlighting how the author presents actionable ways to be more present. Additionally, the book is simple to understand and provides actionable guidance, particularly emphasizing the importance of physical movement.
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146 customers mention content, 143 positive, 3 negative
Great book that touches on so many important themes -- presence, acceptance, resilience, etc. Still refer to it often.Read more
...But it turned out to be a great read! My favorite section was the chapter about Patience. (Don't just do something, stand there.)...Read more
Excellent Book! This can be a really life changing book, especially if you are feeling the stresses of the world....Read more
...This book has solid and easy to implement steps for not letting the world around you overrun your life....Read more
47 customers mention practical, 47 positive, 0 negative
...The advice is relevant, relatable, and practical....Read more
...first time through, because I found the information so meaningful and helpful to where I am in life....Read more
...Not only discussing the concepts and why they are important but practical guidance for how to implement these ideas into your every day life....Read more
...and situations that it manages to offer a path forward that is useful and flexible....Read more
29 customers mention science-based, 29 positive, 0 negative
The book is great at providing stories, science, and a path to putting into practice what you may have already learned in other books or training...Read more
...examples from his own life (well done on vulnerability), scientific research, and time tested practices of ancient traditions....Read more
Well written and researched. Excellent reminders for living in the momentRead more
Filled with tons of thoughtful insights and observations - thoroughly researched but accessible to any reader.Read more
26 customers mention insightful, 26 positive, 0 negative
practical, insightful and inspiringRead more
...So, many thanks to the author for sharing your story, insights, and wisdom....Read more
This book is full of great insights, information, AND actionable tips and strategies....Read more
Another great read from Brad Stulberg! Very important and applicable insight. Would definitely recommend this to everyone....Read more
24 customers mention writing style, 24 positive, 0 negative
This was a great book. Well written and organized, it leads the reader through, as Brad would say, the simple but not so easy steps one can take...Read more
...He's a deep researcher and an excellent writer. I highlighted 76 passages from this book on my kindle.Read more
...Brad Stulberg is a gifted writer who gets at the root of our national discontent and then gives us tools to restore our peace of mind....Read more
Brad has a way of writing that connects with the reader instantly....Read more
22 customers mention readability, 21 positive, 1 negative
...The prose is honest, easy to read and the advice is easy to follow and it works. There are some obvious things but there are also real gems....Read more
...Brad synthesized ancient wisdom across the world into a digestible and applicable manifesto meant for the modern man....Read more
Easy enjoyable read full of well-researched practical advice. Covers a range of best practices to apply to various areas of your own life.Read more
...Quick read.Read more
22 customers mention simplicity, 21 positive, 1 negative
No nonsense, science-based, well-written advice.Read more
...and obstacles to achieving the state in an easy to read and understandable manner....Read more
...The prose is honest, easy to read and the advice is easy to follow and it works. There are some obvious things but there are also real gems....Read more
...This book has solid and easy to implement steps for not letting the world around you overrun your life....Read more
21 customers mention actionable, 21 positive, 0 negative
I love this book! Inspiring and actionable. I’ve been a fan of Brad‘s work for years on high performance....Read more
This book is full of great insights, information, AND actionable tips and strategies....Read more
Clear, practical and actionable guidance to move out of conditioned chaos into intentional, grounded living. Grateful to have read it....Read more
...combination of science, religion, psychology, storytelling and actionable practices at the end of each chapter to put the learnings into tactical...Read more
Highly recommended for navigating a life/career transition!
Brad, The Practice of Groundedness has become my road map for moving forward. We all have experienced the after-shocks of the pandemic and a massive transformation of our work, our lives, our relationships. The best single starting point is acceptance, and then the new growth can begin! This is a book I keep picking up to review again and again. Highly recommended for those going through a life transition. Stephen
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- Awesome guyReviewed in India on December 24, 2023
Truly Transformative
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - emilyrudowReviewed in Canada on September 7, 2021
A really important and impactful read
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase - sasiratReviewed in Australia on August 8, 2024
We can all benefit from this practice
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
