Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance

Enjoyable read. Made me want to climb mountains. I mostly enjoyed the science and research aspect of the book, the anecdotes and stories ruined the book's "Flow" in my opinion. Too many examples of people using flow that essentially was making the same point.

Still a good read!

This book opens a door into an endless inquiry of our potential as humans. It's not just about extreme sports, it's about what each one of us can do and accomplish.... The answer relies on each human and his or her interest to pursue the fullest potential. Awesome!

Short and interesting read on the mental and physical evolution of not only athletes but our species in general. Flow seems like it's still a vague concept that needs more definition, but hopefully in the near future we'll have an even better grasp on it.

Growing up a Flow junkie snowboarding the backcountry of Colorado's most magnificent terrain, and combining that with downhill mountain biking, acrobatics, and martial arts since age 3... this book not only brought back some of my most cherished memories of peak performance in flow states, but it also deconstructed and explained the science behind why I do what I do and why it feels so insanely good.

The stories of the extreme athletes in here are incredible and so visceral that you feel like you are right there with them, tagging along for the ride of flow in death defying situations.

The science is endlessly fascinating, and as in depth as it is in here, to know we are still just scratching the surface of how flow works and how we can engineer more of it into our work, play, and daily lives is just beyond exciting.

My heart was racing during many of the stories, and the inspiration I am left with having finished the book is abundant and overflowing... Time to go hack flow in my own life and geek out with others to do the same!

I firmly believe the more flow we each experience on a regular basis, the better and more abundant world we will work together to create.

Thank you Steven Kotler, your team, the athletes, and everyone out there pushing the limits continually, rapidly making the impossible possible, setting new records, raising the bar higher and higher, and motivating the younger generations to live in a world rich with possibility, and rich with Flow.

Author could've spent more time on the application of the flow towards enhancing focus and creativity for the regular person. Great read though. Even though the vast majority of the book consisted of extreme sports athletes' stories.

I read this book after having read Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly and it broadens the aspects touched by performance in Flow. Ultimately it provides additional clues on incorporating Flow in one's lives, as well as it sparks the interest to continue learning about the untamed power of human creativity and performance.

Excellent book. The first half is a little slow at times, but it sets-up the second half. Very interesting, and from a practical perspective I have been able to apply some of the techniques (with great results), albeit with a lot of focus and practice. I've actually purchased several copies and given to friends.

As an aside, the book "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle is the perfect companion to "The Rise of Superman." Both books focus on the same outcome, and have different assertions as to why this happens, but IMO it is two dimensions of the same attribute. If you liked either one of these books you will definitely like the other.

As an avid adventure-sports enthusiast, this book really intrigues me. I enjoy the research to back up the experience that many of us who participate in dangerous activities feel: flow.

The book is well-written and offers some great stories.

I highly recommend it.

This book inspired me. That doesn't happen too much any more. It reminded me of what I want to seek in my life, being in the flow. And that this is a realistic and important goal for all of us, not just old retired women.

I teach meditative yoga. I discovered from reading this book that what I'm really teaching is Flow. I'm living it, too. It's awesome. One of the things that's overlooked in the book (& apparently in the lives of the super athletes bio'd therein) is that the ultimate challenge is not to get into flow through a life-threatening challenge, but to get into it & sustain it in everyday life. Everyday life is the ultimate challenge for everyone. Think about that. Then, don't. Flow is the answer to that challenge. Inner Silence is the source of Flow.

Great book!
I learned a lot on this interesting topic.
Very insightful..
I would rate it a 5 star if the author would describe more about possible actions anyone can do to enter the flow state.

For anyone wanting to understand flow and all it's nuances and at the same time feeling the energy and excitement of riding down a 50ft wave or skating down the Mega Ramp or being in the drivers seat in any of the other cool adventure sports... this is a must read book

Steven Kotler writing is captivating through the stories of the individuals in this book. I wanted a little more meat and science behind some of the individuals whose performance is elevated. In addition, I felt that some of the female example of "Superwomen" was missing and I believe there are many out there especially in the world of endurance sports. Overall, Mr. Kotler has begun a project with the Flow Genome Project that can yield insights in all areas of human performance at sport or work.

Although it often felt like hyperbole, I enjoyed this book. Kotler set out to sell the reader on the “Flow State”- a state of intense concentration that allows a person to perform at a much higher level than he/she would normally. He uses action adventure athletes as examples for how far human abilities have advanced, and to speculate on how the sky is no longer the limit. He goes over the neurochemistry that occurs during flow and gives several (sort of redundant) examples of how the practice of activities (climbing, surfing, free diving, kayaking, ect) in this state drastically reduces the amount of time it takes to improve performance.
At the very least, the book’s descriptions of the dangerous (sometimes deadly) situations these athletes found themselves in is worth the read. I only wish there was more devoted to how to find the flow state. Check out [...] for more info.