The Rise of Superman

Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance

About The Rise of Superman

THE RISE OF SUPERMAN unlocks the code of ultimate human performance—bridging the gap between the extreme and the mainstream.

Drawing on over 15 years of research, including first-hand reporting with dozens of top action and adventure athletes (Laird Hamilton, Travis Rice, Ian Walsh, Danny Way, Dean Potter, among many others), RISE explores the frontier science of “flow,” an optimal state of consciousness in which we perform and feel our best

By using “impossible” athletic feats as case studies, RISE deciphers what these athletes are doing to harness flow so successfully and shows us how to apply this knowledge across all domains in society.

In other words, despite the unusual “them” at the center of this book, this story is really about “us.” You and me. Who doesn’t want to know how to be their best when it matters most? To be more creative, more contented, more consumed? To soar and not to sink? As the deeds of these athletes prove, if we can master flow, there are no limits to what we can accomplish.

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Reviews

“In this high-octane study, Steven Kotler explores ‘flow’, a neurochemically rich state in which cognitive and physiological processes mesh. The stupendous physical feats of the late ski-base jumper Shane McConkey and others are riveting. Equally surprising is what we know of flow science, such as how the brain’s superior frontal gyrus deactivates to speed decision-making”

Nature

“Kotler takes on the latest research on flow through the lens of action and adventure athletics…. [writing] primarily about flow in high-stakes sports like surfing — where focus and concentration can be the difference between a tubular ride and a watery death — but the concept could also have big implications for the business world.”

Fortune

“The Rise of Superman is an electrifying book about a potent state of mind. If you aren’t inspired to brainhack your way up to the next level, start again at page one.”

David Eagleman

Neuroscientist, New York Times bestselling author of Incognito

“The Rise of Superman is a page-turning, game-changing account of the secrets of ultimate human performance—a must read for anyone interested in seriously raising the level of their game."

Ray Kurzweil

Director of Engineering at Google, author of How to Create a Mind and The Singularity is Near

“A fascinating primer on how athletes of extreme sports use flow to accomplish what seem like impossible goals, such as skiing down cliffs or surfing 100-foot waves. But a close reading of the book also provides great insights into how everyday athletes can use flow in their workouts and the rest of their lives.”

Financial Times

“Kotler focuses on extreme sports for good reason. These athletes face a constant choice, “flow or die,” and his book contains some compelling characters…Flow is rooted in the brain, and Kotler does a good job of explaining that science.”

The Washington Post