Decoding Greatness - by Ron Friedman (Paperback)

About the Book

"We've long been taught there are two ways to succeed--either talent or practice. In Decoding Greatness, award-winning social psychologist Ron Friedman illuminates a powerful third path--one that has launched icons in a wide range of fields, from artists, writers, and chefs, to athletes, inventors, and entrepreneurs: reverse engineering. To reverse engineer is to look beyond what is evident on the surface and find a hidden structure. It's the ability to taste an intoxicating dish and deduce its recipe, to listen to a beautiful song and discern its chord progression, to watch your favorite film and grasp its narrative arc. "Clear, concise, and backed by science" (Daniel Pink, author of When), Decoding Greatness marries "alluring stories and illuminating studies" (Adam Grant, author of Think Again) of top performers--from Agatha Christie to Andy Warhol, Barack Obama, to Serena Williams--with groundbreaking research on pattern recognition and skill acquisition. You'll learn how to take apart acheivements you admire, pinpoint precisely what makes them work, and apply that knowledge to develop novel ideas and products that are uniquely your own. Bursting with unforgettable stories and actionable strategies, Decoding Greatness is an indispensable guide to learning from the best, upgrading your skills, and sparking breakthrough ideas"--Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

National Bestseller For readers of Outliers, Atomic Habits, and Deep Work, comes a game-changing approach to unlocking your greatness, using a secret strategy that's vaulted business titans and creative geniuses to the top of their profession.We've long been taught there are two ways to succeed--either talent or practice. In Decoding Greatness, award-winning social psychologist Ron Friedman illuminates a powerful third path--one that has launched icons in a wide range of fields, from artists, writers, and chefs, to athletes, inventors, and entrepreneurs: reverse engineering. To reverse engineer is to look beyond what is evident on the surface and find a hidden structure. It's the ability to taste an intoxicating dish and deduce its recipe, to listen to a beautiful song and discern its chord progression, to watch your favorite film and grasp its narrative arc. "Clear, concise, and backed by science" (Daniel Pink, author of When), Decoding Greatness marries "alluring stories and illuminating studies" (Adam Grant, author of Think Again) of top performers--from Agatha Christie to Andy Warhol, Barack Obama, to Serena Williams--with groundbreaking research on pattern recognition and skill acquisition. You'll learn how to take apart acheivements you admire, pinpoint precisely what makes them work, and apply that knowledge to develop novel ideas and products that are uniquely your own. Bursting with unforgettable stories and actionable strategies, Decoding Greatness is an indispensable guide to learning from the best, upgrading your skills, and sparking breakthrough ideas.

Review Quotes

"This book is your secret decoder ring for understanding how athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and even criminal masterminds create breakthroughs. Clear, concise, and backed by science, it's a powerful combination of analysis and storytelling that will transform the way you approach your next project." -Daniel H. Pink, author of When, Drive, and To Sell is Human "If this book was full of insights about the patterns that drive excellence across fields, it would be well worth your time. Ron Friedman has gone a step further: he actually teaches you how to detect new patterns yourself. With alluring stories and illuminating studies, he shows how we can all learn more from great achievers and innovators." -Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Originals, and host of the TED podcast WorkLife "A much-needed handbook for learning how success really happens. Read this book if you want to upgrade from working hard to actually producing results that matter." -Cal Newport, the New York Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work "Great innovators have one thing in common. They all cracked the code. In his riveting new book, Ron Friedman shows how history's most creative minds unlocked the potential of reverse engineering, and more importantly, how to apply that process strategically in today's most competitive fields. Filled with compelling, unforgettable stories, Friedman shows how disruptive innovations in technology, sports, art, and business have shaped our world where future innovations can be found." -Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times #1 bestselling author of Triggers, Mojo, and What Got You Here Won't Get You There "Decoding Greatness is a playbook for success, applicable to any field you can imagine. By reverse engineering what works for others, we can all find unique ways to drive innovation. Ron Friedman is a master of how people think and work, and shows us how we can apply these insights in our own lives." -Jonah Berger, internationally bestselling author of Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst "Psychologist Ron Friedman melds storytelling and science with a page-turning effect. I finished Decoding Greatness with a list of things I want to try in my own work, and I bet you will too." -David Epstein, New York Times bestselling author of Range "Ron Friedman brilliantly illuminates how experts in every field use reverse engineering to jumpstart their thinking and spark innovation. Decoding Greatness is an eye-opening, fast-paced read that uses the unexpected success stories of athletes, artists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and even criminal masterminds. Clear, concise, and backed by the latest science, it's a rare combination of entertainment and enlightenment that will transform the way you approach your next project." -Shawn Achor, New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential "We'd all like to get results and succeed faster. In this addictively readable new book, Ron Friedman shows you a smart, proven framework that actually works. Bursting with unforgettable stories, eye-opening insights, and practical strategies, it offers a genuinely new and profoundly useful perspective on how greatness is truly achieved. If you want to master your craft, this book is a must-read." -Dorie Clark, author of Entrepreneurial You and executive education faculty, Duke University Fuqua School of Business "In Decoding Greatness, Ron Friedman unlocks the secrets to disruptive innovation, providing a research-backed toolbox full of practical techniques that cross all fields-from business, innovation and art, to computers, music and even crime. The examples Friedman uses are as entertaining as they are unforgettable." -Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., author of Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization "So many professionals struggle to be original but fail to take the time to learn from the creative work of those around them. Ron Friedman has dec...

About the Author

Ron Friedman, PhD, is an award-winning psychologist, and has consulted for political leaders, nonprofits, and many of the world's most recognized brands. His research has appeared on NPR, in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Globe and Mail (Toronto), The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Psychology Today. Ron is the founder of ignite80, a learning and development company. He is the author of The Best Place to Work, an Inc. Magazine Best Business Book of the Year, and Decoding Greatness. He lives in Pittsford, New York.