Overachievement - John Elliot Ph.D.

This is an interesting book to say the least. It has a unique feel to it and it has a different opinion then what I typically see. I have become a huge fan of these "Self Help" books for a multitude of reasons. The most important being I work with people in their achievement of goals; and there is no better way to understand how to motivate people then understand the dynamic of being successful yourself.

However, this book is different then most. The author suggests a completely different look on how to achieve great feats then the normal "Self Help" point of view. For instance, he talked on being nervous prior to a major event is a good thing. In a pressure situation the parasympathetic nervous system turns on certain bodily responses: increased sweating to prevent overheating, hands and feet shaking resulting from faster motor signals, faster heart beat to increase blood flow, eyes dilate resulting in more acute vision, and the mind races for the need to process information at a greater rate. He used Bill Russell as an example in that he used to vomit before every game; his nerves are what made him ready to perform at a high level.

I didn't intend to give a book report here, but I wanted to make one major point he made in the book. He advises to become more "target" oriented to become more focused on tasks. He uses the analogy of robbery victims not being able to recount what their assailant looked like. This is due to the extreme focus placed on the weapon and lack of ability to interpret outside stimulus. Now this is an extreme example, but picture that focus on any given tasks you are doing and imagine how productive you could be. Making that gun or knife your task is the key to creating the most substantial work you possibly can.

"Exceptional thinkers allow their concentration to affect reality, not the other way around." John Elliot