Introduction: What Really Produces Success? 1
By Looking at the Science Behind What Separates the Extremely Successful from the Rest of Us, We Learn What We Can Do to Be More Like Them-and Find Out in Some Cases Why It's Good That We Aren't
Chapter 1 Should We Play It Safe and Do What We're Told If We Want to Succeed? 7
Does Playing by the Rules Pay Off? Insight from Valedictorians, People Who Feel No Pain, and Piano Prodigies
Chapter 2 Do Nice Guys Finish Last? 32
What You Can Learn About Trust, Cooperation, and Kindness … from Gang Members, Pirates, and Serial Killers
Chapter 3 Do Quitters Never Win and Winners Never Quit? 62
What Navy SEALs, Video Games, Arranged Marriages, and Batman Can Teach Us About Sticking It Out When Achieving Success Is Hard
Chapter 4 It's Not What You Know, it's Who You Know (Unless It Really Is What You Know) 123
What We Can Learn About the Power of Networks from Hostage Negotiators, Top Comedians, and the Smartest Man Who Ever Lived
Chapter 5 Believe in Yourself…Sometimes 175
What We Can Learn About Walking the Tightrope Between Confidence and Delusion from Chess Masters, Secret Military Units, Kung Fu Con Arties, and People Who Cannot Feel Fear
Chapter 6 Work, Work, Work … or Work-Life Balance? 204
How to Find Harmony Between Home and the Office, Courtesy of Spider-Man, Buddhist Monks, Albert Einstein, Professional Wrestlers, and Genghis Khan
Conclusion: What Makes a Successful Life? 259
Acknowledgments 267
References 269
About the Author 309