Brad is an excellent writer, and The Way of Excellence is no exception. It’s grounded in evidence-based research but written in a way that’s clear, practical, and easy to apply. There’s nothing overly complicated or trendy here, just meaningful ideas and sustainable guidance. His podcast, Excellence, Actually, with Steve Magness, pairs well with the book, often expanding on related themes and ideas through thoughtful discussion and humor.

Ever since Brad published the book he co-authored with Steve Magness, Peak Performance, I've appreciated what I consider to be his unique writing gift. And that is his ability to read all the important works (books, research, data studies), and then take that information, synthesize it, condense it, and write it in a very accessible form for others to read. He has done that with all his books, and it is what really sets apart The Way of Excellence.

As a therapist I have benefited from this book both personally and professionally, and I have found myself recommending it to clients in sessions -- and often pulling it off my bookshelf during session, to read a specific passage.

My therapy colleague and I (Lance Ahl) had Brad on our podcast (RT Dialogue), and we just also really appreciated his genuineness and humility that we were able to experience first hand.

I had lots of favorite sections in the book, but I think what I appreciate most was his emphasis on doing the consistent hard work that it takes to become good at a craft, rather than getting sucked into the quick performative measures that don't lead anywhere. I feel like it resonated deeply with me and the work I am trying to do, and it felt like it gave me permission to keep mastering my craft. It made me feel not alone in this endeavor. I also really liked the part on identity where he uses the metaphor of multiple rooms in a house. It's easy in our culture to place all our identity into one thing, and that can lead to issues in terms of our sense of self. So I liked the emphasis on developing other areas of one's self.

Thanks Brad for writing another stellar book, and for taking the time to personally connect.

I'm only halfway through this book, but it already feels like it will join Atomic Habits, The Psychology of Money, and Thinking, Fast and Slow as books I reread on a near-annual basis.

What sets The Way of Excellence apart is how Stålberg distills complex ideas about sustainable performance into principles you can actually apply. This isn't another "hustle harder" book. It's a thoughtful, research-backed framework for pursuing mastery while staying grounded and avoiding burnout.

As someone who runs a business and juggles the demands of family life, I found myself underlining passages on nearly every page. The ideas around balancing drive with presence, and building consistency without rigidity, hit home in a way that feels both practical and deeply personal.

If you've ever felt the tension between wanting to be excellent at what you do and wanting to actually enjoy the life you're building, this book speaks directly to that. Stålberg doesn't offer shortcuts. He offers something better: a sustainable path forward.

Highly recommend for anyone in leadership, entrepreneurship, or just navigating a season of life where you're trying to do meaningful work without losing yourself in the process. I'll update this review when I finish, but I already know this one's staying on the shelf.

I picked up The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World by Brad Stulberg because the idea of mastery has always appealed to me. At this stage of life, though, I’m less interested in “true greatness” than in “deep satisfaction.” Overall, Stulberg makes a thoughtful and compelling case for why pursuing excellence can shape a meaningful life.

Early in the introduction, Stulberg offers examples of excellence that go beyond the usual athletic or creative achievements. He mentions moments like a leader whose calm presence commands a room or the back-and-forth of an absorbing conversation. Those examples caught my attention because they hint at something like relational excellence.

I kept waiting for him to return to that idea, but the thread never really develops.

Perhaps that’s understandable. There are no Olympic medals for reconciling a broken relationship. No Grammy awarded for handling a difficult conversation. Relational excellence is harder to measure, harder to showcase, and harder to turn into a clear narrative of mastery. Still, the opening examples made me curious about what that kind of excellence might look like, and the book doesn’t deliver further insight which was disappointing.

Aside from that, The Way of Excellence largely delivers what it promises. I really appreciated the reminder to celebrate moments, milestones, and achievements in the chapter “Completion.” This is something I’ve never done well, so reading this chapter motivated me to jot down fresh ideas.

Stulberg is very good at distilling big ideas into memorable phrases, such as “it’s not just the destination but the person you become along the way,” which I’ve found to be true.

At times, I’ve noticed Stulberg sliding into political commentary in his newsletters and interviews, which truthfully has made me wary of buying his books. Thankfully, he didn’t here, which I appreciated.

I’d recommend this book to readers who want a thoughtful framework for pursuing excellence with more focus and intention. Even if you define excellence differently, the principles Stulberg describes can help bring greater satisfaction to a purpose-filled life.

I am a family physician who works in emergency departments and teaches at a medical school. I came to this book sideways, by a friend sharing their experience on LinkedIn. I don't read much current self-help, and my own reading on excellence runs through the Stoics most recently and Pirsig more in the past. So I was skeptical going in.

Stulberg won me over, not because the ideas are new, but because he packages them in a way I can hand to my medical students and first-year residents. The distinction between real discipline and performative discipline is one I have been trying to articulate for years, and he nails it. In 42 years of military service, most of the discipline I saw was clearly performative. Stulberg names that problem without flinching. The surgeon-at-two-in-the-morning story is not a hypothetical for people in my line of work. It is a daily event. His point that you can feel terrible and still perform well is something every intern needs to hear before they convince themselves that a bad night means a bad outcome.

The strongest contribution is the case against what he calls pseudo-excellence. Medical training is drowning in metrics, optimization, and the quiet desperation of chasing external validation. Stulberg gives clear language for why that path is a dead end and why the process of becoming a good physician (or musician, or craftsman, or parent) is the actual point.

Where the book is thinner is on the structural side. Stulberg's excellence is individual. He does not seriously engage with how institutions and systems erode the conditions he says are necessary for deep work. If you are already thinking about how society and technology reshape the environment in which excellence must occur, you will find the analysis incomplete. That is not a fatal flaw. It is a scope decision. But it is worth knowing.

I would recommend this book to any medical student, junior resident, or early-career professional who is burned out on hustle culture and needs someone to tell them, clearly and with evidence, that consistency matters more than intensity and that showing up is most of the work. For those further along, it is a solid refresher and a useful common text for mentoring conversations.

Five stars. Well-written, accessible, and honest about what it aims to do.

In The Way of Excellence, Brad Stulberg delivers a timely and much-needed corrective to today’s hustle-driven culture. This is not a book about grinding harder or optimizing every second of your day. It is a profound invitation to pursue greatness in a way that is sustainable, values-driven, and deeply satisfying. What distinguishes this book is its clarity: Stulberg separates genuine excellence from what he calls “pseudo-excellence.” In a world addicted to speed, noise, dopamine hits, and external validation, he calls readers back to depth, focus, and alignment. That message alone makes this book worth reading.

I especially appreciated his emphasis on:

Consistency over intensity

Designing environments that support growth

Building durable confidence rather than fragile ego

Choosing goals based on who you want to become—not just what you want to accomplish

As a leader and coach, I found his insights incredibly practical for personal development and organizational health. Excellence, as he presents it, is not perfectionism. It is not performance for applause. It is the disciplined, values-centered pursuit of becoming your best self in service to something meaningful.

His integration of science, philosophy, and daily practice makes the concepts accessible without being shallow. The discussion around alienation, distraction, and the trap of external validation is particularly relevant for leaders navigating modern pressures. The Way of Excellence reminds us that greatness is not found in chaos, but in clarity. Not in frenzy, but in focus. Not in ego, but in alignment.

This is a book I would recommend to entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, pastors, executives—anyone who wants to pursue excellence without losing their soul in the process. A powerful and deeply resonant read.

The Way of Excellence was one of those books that really stayed with me after I finished it. I’ve read a lot of business and personal development books, but this one felt different, it wasn’t just about doing more or pushing harder. It was about being intentional in how you show up every single day.

What I appreciated most was the focus on discipline, consistency, and personal standards. It’s a great reminder that excellence isn’t something you stumble into, it’s something you choose, repeatedly. The concepts are simple, but not easy… which is exactly why they matter.

I found myself reflecting on both my business and my personal life while reading it, and making small shifts in how I approach things daily. It’s the kind of book you can revisit often and continue to pull new insights from.

If you’re someone who wants to grow, lead better, and operate at a higher level without all the fluff, this is absolutely worth the read.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg. It is rich with insight and information that is so helpful. Even though you might know some of these things already, it's very helpful to read about them in this way where the traits are clearly defined and reinforced with references to research. The references throughout the book lend a deeper sense of credibility to each of his premises but in a way that anyone can understand. It's a very quick read, so I plan to read again soon and take some more detailed notes. I think this will be a book that I revisit multiple times in the future.

Livro bom, trata de assuntos interessantes, mas não consegue se aprofundar em nenhum deles. No final a impressão que eu fiquei foi que para construir a excelência devemos cuidar com carinho da nossa habilidade, ter um propósito maior, apreciar a jornada e refletir continuamente. O grande problema para mim é a incoerência estrutural do livro: ele critica a superficialidade das tendências de redes sociais (o que eu concordo muito), mas ele em si acaba sendo muito superficial também. Além disso ele fala muito de apreciar, refletir, gostar, mas no fim o título do livro é excelência, que ele define como sendo um grande propósito. Mas a excelência em si é um resultado, não um processo. A evolução constante está mais para processo em si do que a excelência. Tornar-se excelente talvez não esteja ao alcance de todos, mas ainda assim evoluir constantemente pode nos dar uma vida de propósito e contribuição. Buscar excelente pode nos levar às armadilhas de tentar conquista-la a qualquer custo.

Não me levem a mal, o livro é bem interessante, mas em si o autor ainda não chegou a uma sabedoria sólida e perene.

This spoke to me, like an old friend, or caring mentor.

If you are struggling with the busyness of life, and are growing frustrated with the Quality of your giving...then please read this.

In a world where performative nonsense increasingly takes centre stage, this is the signal that cuts through the noise.

Brad blends evidence-based insights with deeply human values and wisdom. This is a practical guide in the truest sense of the word and should be required reading for anyone exploring personal growth. Make a great investment in yourself and buy a copy.

Excellent

Tolles Buch