The Way of Excellence

A guide to true greatness and deep satisfaction in a chaotic world

Big news! I am thrilled to announce my new book: The Way of Excellence.

I’ve been working on this project for the last decade. It is my most personal work yet. Researching and writing it changed my life, and I think it will change yours too.

The book began with some questions: What can you do to feel more alive, fulfilled, and satisfied in a crazy and chaotic world? What does it look like to commit to a path of genuine excellence, to combine your natural gifts and hard work to pursue your own version of greatness? How can you sustain it?

Whether you are pushing your limits at the gym or on the track, practicing guitar, coaching or leading a team, honing a craft, practicing medicine, or finally taking on that big creative project, this book will help you perform better, feel better, and be the most authentic and best version of yourself. If you like my writing here, you’ll love this book.

Steve Kerr, nine-time NBA champion and coach of Team USA, read an early copy and called it “an absolutely beautiful book...it captures a lot of what I believe as a coach.”

Pre-orders are a huge help to me and the best way to support my work. They are also a great deal for you. As a subscriber to my substack, if you pre-order the book today, you’ll get access to incredible exclusive bonus materials—including a professionally produced 90-minute masterclass on excellence, a workbook with interactive exercises for each chapter, a comprehensive reading list, and more. It’s an absurdly good value.

To get a limited first edition copy plus great exclusive bonuses, pre-order The Way of Excellence from ​Amazon​, ​Barnes and Noble​, or ​Bookshop.org​, and then fill out this form with you order number to receive your bonuses today.

Read on for more about the book and time-limited preorder bonuses:

I first started thinking about excellence in 2007.

I was finishing school and feeling aimless. I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I hiked in the Himalaya.

I began to flesh out a philosophy of life that centered on the pursuit of excellence. Since then, I haven’t been able to get the idea off my mind. There is no shortage of pseudo-excellence: hacks, quick fixes, and perfectionism. There is also an epidemic of burnout, numbness, and going through the motions.

But what I’ve come to know is that actual excellence—challenging yourself in worthwhile endeavors, focusing on what matters most, and expressing the unique qualities that make you who you are—is an antidote for so much of what ails us. It is a powerful force that makes us feel alive and gives rise to our greatest accomplishments and contributions. I kept looking for a book that outlined this kind of excellence and couldn’t find one. So I decided to write it.

​The Way of Excellence​ includes cutting-edge research, a range of inspiring stories, and is full of big ideas and practical takeaways that you can begin applying to your life right away. This book will guide you on your personal path to excellence.

Here’s just some of what you’ll learn:

• How to set better goals and define, live, and work in alignment with your values

• How to cultivate focus and concentration

• The power of prioritizing consistency over intensity

• How to build durable confidence

• The connection between mastery and mattering—and how to cultivate more of both into your life

• How to develop the courage to care deeply

• How to design environments that support excellence

• How to find more fulfillment in the process of striving toward achievement; selecting goals based not just on what you want to achieve, but on who you want to become

• How to overcome the traps, pitfalls, and barriers to excellence, including: alienation, chasing a never-ending supply of dopamine, addiction to external validation, and getting caught up in the opinions of others

• How to apply the principles and insights of excellence to one’s teams, organizations, and communities

If you find value in my Substack, you’ll love this book. It is an engrossing deep dive with all original thinking and evidence-based insights and practices. If you don’t believe me, just check out some of the reviews below.

Pre-order The Way of Excellence from ​Amazon​, ​Barnes and Noble​, or ​Bookshop.org​, and then fill out this form with your order number to receive your bonuses today.

PRAISE AND REVIEWS:

“An absolutely beautiful book that captures a lot of what I believe as a coach. The gratification that comes from truly losing one’s self in a process is an amazing gift. It brings joy, peace of mind, and a sense of pride. These are things we frequently talk about with the Warriors, and I believe are part of our success.” — Steve Kerr, 9 time NBA Champion, Coach of the Golden State Warriors and Team USA

“Readers are invited to rethink what it truly means to be at their best—not through perfectionism or shallow success, but through purposeful growth and meaningful engagement. The Way of Excellence reveals how excellence is a deeply human process.” — Charles Duhigg, author of the bestsellers The Power of Habit and Supercommunicators

“Stulberg’s examination of excellence as both a concept and practice is food for thought for every profession and discipline—and for life itself. A riveting narrative that shows us that everyone is capable of growth. I loved reading this book.” — Hilary Hahn, international violin soloist and 3-time GRAMMY winner

“A transformative read for aspiring high performers of all disciplines and all levels. Brad’s words help me to hone my own process and ensure I’m keeping the most important things the most important things. This book is the best reminder that the way we do what we do matters.” — Chelsea Sodaro, Ironman World Champion

“In a chaotic world filled with shallow distraction and performative busyness, The Way of Excellence is a must-read book that offers a path toward something deeper: the disciplined pursuit of mastery, competence, and mattering. I highly recommend it!” — Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author of Slow Productivity and Deep Work

Exclusive, Time-Limited Pre-Order Bonuses:

Order the book today so it will be on your doorstep when it comes out and get all the great material below right now! Each bonus was constructed with loads of effort and, taken together, they provide an incredible complement to the book and its application in your life.

Pre-orders also go a long way to help authors (it is the best way to support my work and this newsletter) and all the retailers offer a lowest price guarantee. So if you think you are going to get the book anyways, ordering today is a win-win: you get everything below and support my work in a big way.

Preorder now and you’ll receive:

• Documentary and Video Masterclass: with more than 90 minutes of practical applications and behind-the-scenes content

• Interactive Workbook: self-guided exercises and reflections to enhance the reading experience and help you bring the ideas in The Way of Excellence to life

• Reading List: my personal reading list on mastery, meaning, and excellence that most influenced the writing of The Way of Excellence

• Core Principles of Excellence: a one-page ‘Cheat Sheet’ with habits, mindsets, practices, and values to keep in mind every day

How to Get Your Bonuses

1. ​Click to pre-order​ The Way of Excellence

2. Fill out this form with your order number to receive your bonuses.

Note: if you order directly from your indie bookshop, that’s great too! You’ll be able to indicate that in the form. These offers are valid from wherever books are sold.

I appreciate your reading my stuff and I hope you ordered the book today!

— Brad