Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life [Hardcover]

Garret Kramer (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 5, 2012

Fuel Your Performance, and Life, with the Clarity of Stillpower

For years, athletes, coaches, parents, and organizations have searched for the secrets to optimum mental performance. However, in spite of a myriad of tools and techniques, success and contentment continue to be as elusive as ever, until now. Garret Kramer’s Stillpower offers a revolutionary explanation for this predicament and provides a basic, yet dynamic, approach for the future. In an accessible style, Kramer reveals the innate principles behind consistent achievement and highlights the misalignment between the experiences of all performers and the strategies of the coaches, psychologists, and experts who are hoping to help them.

Stillpower uses real-life examples to explore such questions as: What is “the zone” and what must we do (or not do) to get there? Why do we need to understand the difference between insight and intellect? Is goal setting really useful? Why doesn’t willpower work? And why do the best mentors focus on a person’s state of mind and not behavior? Virtually all of us—athletes and non-athletes alike—are looking outside of ourselves, trying to unlock the keys to happiness, freedom, and excellence with ease. Stillpower encourages us to look within to finally find the answers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Garret Kramer has overturned much of the conventional wisdom about coaching and performance . . . Stillpower is an insightful and profound book.”

—Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind

“A clear and quiet state of mind isn’t just a key element in sports; it’s also important in finance, relationships, and life. The principles introduced in this book apply to so much more than athletics.”

—Jean Chatzky, author of the New York Times bestseller Money 911

“In covering sports for more than twenty years, I am always looking for what separates the good athletes from the great ones. Garret Kramer looks outside the box when it comes to athletics . . . Stillpower is a must-read for someone serious about performance, or for the casual fan who wants to learn what really makes athletes tick—on and off the field.”

—Ian Eagle, CBS Sports/YES Network/Westwood One Radio

“Stillpower is not just one of the best books on improving sports performance ever written—it is a must-read for coaches and performers in any field of human endeavor. While you work on your game or career, the ideas in this book will go to work on you.”

—Michael Neill, author of Supercoach

“The brilliance of Garret Kramer’s perspective is that he takes the often complicated process of achieving one’s best performance and turns it into a direct, natural, and positive understanding . . . Stillpower provides the simple, yet powerful message the sports world has been looking for.”

—Sean Hutchison, US Olympic swimming coach

"I believe the principles introduced in Stillpower are the future of athletic mental performance; actually, performance of any kind. This book helped me to recognize that in grinding so hard, I was reducing my chances to perform up to my capabilities. I now see why the game wasn't always as enjoyable as I wanted it to be, and my 'effort' rarely feels like work. In Stillpower, Garret Kramer offers hope for discovering our potential to perform freely, regardless of the circumstances of our lives. I hope, like me, you find this perspective to be extremely valuable.''

—Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils Captain and member of the US Olympic Hockey Team

“As I reflect back on my personal quest to develop character through the sport of football, I greatly identify with the wisdom and principles of this book. Stillpower is a profound playbook for the athletic and life journey. Garret Kramer shows us that people become what they think in their heart, not in their head.”

—Tyrone Keys, founder of All Sports Community Services, Super Bowl–winning defensive end—Chicago Bears

“Garret Kramer understands the importance of having ‘your head right.’ Stillpower reveals the optimum mental functioning of an athlete and the real source of that functioning. Under this paradigm, individuals involved in sports will enjoy the character-building benefits often promised by participation. Even children will find athletics more enjoyable and, at the same time, achieve high levels of success. I know this may all sound like a tall order, but this book honestly offers that potential.”

—George Pransky, PhD

“I was first introduced to sports psychology in the 1970s when I was playing professional baseball. Like all athletes, I was constantly in search of that magical place called ‘the zone,’ where the game slows down and pitches are suddenly easy to track. Contrary to what most people think, however, finding your way to ‘the zone’ doesn’t come from grinding or strength of will— it comes from another source. Stillpower reveals this surprising source. If you’re a serious athlete, coach, sports parent—in fact, anyone—I strongly suggest you read what Garret Kramer has to say about getting to the top of your game, on and off the field.”

—Rick Wolf, sports psychology expert and host of THE SPORTS EDGE, WFAN Radio, New York

“I first heard Garret Kramer speak in 2009, and I was instantly intrigued by his message and approach to athletic mental performance. Stillpower takes a unique perspective that will challenge your traditional beliefs. If you keep an open mind and really listen to what this book has to say, you will realize how much easier and more positive life can be, and why the notion of ‘no pain, no gain’ will never help in your pursuit of success.”

—Rob Naddelman, president of Baseball Factory

About the Author

Garret Kramer is the founder and managing partner of Inner Sports, LLC. His revolutionary approach to performance has transformed the careers of professionals athletes and coaches, Olympians, and collegiate players across a multitude of sports. Kramer’s work has been featured on WFAN, ESPN, Fox, and CTV, as well as in Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other national publications.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books/Beyond Words (June 5, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582703884
• ISBN-13: 978-1582703886
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #307,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Garret Kramer is the founder and managing partner of Inner Sports, LLC. His revolutionary approach to performance has transformed the way players, coaches, professional teams, and even parents view the athletic journey. Kramer lectures widely on the states of mind that lead to success on and off the playing field, and he is credited with introducing the principles of mind, consciousness, and thought to the athletic community at large. Kramer has been featured on ESPN, WFAN, FOX, and CTV as well as in national publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Sports Illustrated.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stillpower is more about just sports. June 21, 2011

By Robert G Yokoyama VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I do not play sports, but I found the information in this book to be very insightful. I agree with everything that Garret Kramer writes about in this book. Stillpower is a book that will help me produce better results at work. It will also help me to enjoy my job more. I help peopale with developmental disabilities find jobs. Stillpower is the concept that clarity of mind and acting freely will lead to improved performance at any endeavor. One of the things I learned from reading this book is the difference between willpower and stillpower. Willpower involves forced strained effort. Stillpower involves a more freer effort and greater results. Another important concept I learned in this book is external forces will not make increase my level of happiness. I truly believe in developing my inner wisdom to solve problems. I will try to teach my clients to trust their inner wisdom in making decisions. Kramer provides examples of athletes and sports teams who use stillpower to be succesful at what they do. Kramer shares advice that is logical and easy to understand. The best advice in this book is how to make decsions. Decisions are a result of a high state of consciousness and well being. Poor decisions are made because low sense of well being and a state of mind. Kramer also encourages me to enjoy the journey of whatever I am doing and not be overly concerned about the destination. I loved reading about the life of Michigan football player Donnie Warner and baseball legend Jackie Robinson. They are athletes who succeeded. They had successful athletic careers despite physical and societal conditions like racial prejudice. I loved reading about the success of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team in this book too. These individual stories are very inspirational. This adds to the pleasure of the book for me.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing concept July 5, 2011

By Robin Landry TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

While this is a book written to help coaches do their job better, I found that Garret Karmer's book Stillpower is the perfect parenting book. Kramer's premise is that only a still mind can find the zone, the place where everything we do is effortless, where are bodies flow executing that perfect field goal, baseball pitch, or maybe the perfect golf swing.

Here are the chapters headings from this short book to give you an idea how what Kramer's premise is and how he gets his point across.
1. The Misconception: athletics teaches life lessons. (Very intriguing title, because as a parent, I've heard that point stated a hundred times as our kids were growing and up and participating in school sports.)
2. Unbound Effort, Willpower, and Insight. (Here Kramer explains what the zone is and how it differs from grinding it out through willpower.)
3. Coaching, Wisdom and Success (Kramer gives us the secret of how to engage our team. Here I would substitute child for athlete.)
4. Clear Thinking, Resiliency, and Life Beyond the Scoreboard. (What sports can teach our children is how to think clearly under circumstances where stress might cause them to shut down.)
5. The Ultimate Coaching Dilemma: An Athlete's state of mind versus his/her behavior. (Kramer includes a section called the ultimate explanation for any type of behavior and uses Tiger Woods in one of his examples. Irresistible.)
6. The Neutrality of the Outside World (Like gravity, the outside world had worlds that don't care how you react to them, therefor you can change yourself which leaves you ultimately in control of the situation. In other words, it all about perspective. A valuable lesson to teach kids, empowering them for the rest of their lives.)
7. Sports Judgement, and Life from the inside out.
8. Mind, Body, and Performance: the only way out of worry.
9. Every Athlete's Birthright.
10. The Freedom to Win

Kramer sums up his own book nicely in the Appendix so you can refer back to this wonderful book as the situations arise. He gives great examples so we can see his concept in action. I will totally recommend this book, but not just for athletics as much as for life in general. I hope Kramer expands his ideas into parenthood, because I believe that treating children with this sort of insight could help them achieve their dreams, which is what every parent hopes to do.

"More precisely, if you can sense the difference between what goes on in the outside world(life situations) and the resolute nature of your inner world(your life), you will be one of the fortunate few to uncover the true source of your freedom.

It is this freedom that allows you to make everything in your life productive. It is this freedom that makes anything possible." page 95 Think how much better life would be with this kind of insight? Thank goodness for people like Garrett Kramer who find ways of helping us all achieve our dreams.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stllpower has value beyond sports June 17, 2011

By RP

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a participant in my youth, coach of my kids' teams and current arm-chair spectator, I have spent a lot more time thinking about sports over the course of the last four decades than I would like to admit. Yet, I have never thought that I would find an analysis of sport psychology any more interesting than a book on the thought process involved in paying chess or Scrabble. This book, however, was a very pleasant surprise. It presents an analysis that is not only different from any other I have seen, but one for which analogy to everyday, non-athletic life is clear. If reading Stillpower makes you or your child perform better on the athletic field, all the better; but the ambition and application is of this book is much broader. I happily recommended it.