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Stillpower: The Inner Source of Athletic Excellence [Hardcover]

Garret Kramer
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)


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Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life 4.6 out of 5 stars (51)
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Book Description

June 1, 2011
Fuel your performance, and life, with the clarity of Stillpower

For years, athletes, coaches, parents, and organizations have search for the secrets to optimum mental performance. Today, however, in spite of a myriad of tools, techniques, and theoretical models, consistent success and contentment are as elusive as ever. We see young athletes pushed so hard that 70 percent quit organized sports by the age of thirteen. Every day a high school, collegiate, or pro athlete makes headlines for his or her errant behavior--not to mention, talented and industrious players repeatedly failing to deliver in ''clutch'' moments.

While many insist that athletics is a great way to learn life lessons and expand life skills, this development is not taking place. Now, in Stillpower, Garret Kramer provides a revolutionary simple explanation and understanding. In a fluent and readable manner, Kramer reveals the innate principles behind consistent performance and success. And he highlights the misalignment between the experiences of athletes and the strategies of the coaches, psychologists, and performance experts who are trying 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 does an athlete need to understand the difference between insight and intellect? Is goal setting really useful? Why doesn't willpower work? Why do the best mentors focus on a person's state of mind and not behavior? What is the connection between the qualities of compassion, competitiveness, and resiliency, and one's thoughts and level of well-being?

Virtually all of us--athletes and nonathletes alike--are looking outside of ourselves, hoping to un-lock the keys to happiness and success. In Stillpower, Kramer 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. With persuasive logic and an array of interesting stories, he shows the limits of grind-it-out willpower and the potential of insight, mindfulness, and even love. Stillpower is an insightful and, at times, profound book.'' --Daniel H. Pink, New York Times best-selling author, Drive and A Whole New Mind

''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. His views have provided me with incredible insight. When I'm calling the action, I now have an appreciation of an athlete's true mental state. 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, CBA Sports/YES Network/Westwood One Radio

''A clear and quite state of mind isn't just a key element in sports; it's also important in finance and life. Without the understanding that Garret Kramer conveys, the best advice can be lost or forgotten, and the worst could be followed--no matter how smart you are. The principles introduced in this book apply to so much more than athletics.'' --Jean Chatzky, New York Times best-selling author, Money 911

''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 a person becomes what he thinks in his heart, not in his head.'' --Tyrone Keys, founder of All-Sports Community Services and Super Bowl-winning defensive end--Chicago Bears

''Thanks to Garret Kramer, I now see my life's circumstances for what they truly are: the result of my state of mind at that moment. As a professional athlete, I am often introduced to mental techniques and strategies that only make the game seem more complicated. The message introduced in this book, however, is the exact opposite. Stillpower shows that an athlete's (or anyone's) thoughts and moods are the creator of his reality, allowing him to determine his own performance level no matter what is happening around him. These are simple and empowering words to live by, both on and off the ice.'' --Matt Corrente, New Jersey Devils defenseman

''Garret Kramer understand 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 Wolff, sports psychology expert and host of ''The Sports Edge,'' WFAN Radio, New York

''I first head Garret Kramer speak in 2009, and I was instantly intrigued by his message and approach to athletic mental performance. Stillpower take 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 Naddleman, president of Baseball Factory

''I have often invited Garret Kramer to speak to our elite prep athletes throughout the country. He has opened their minds to a new way of looking at performance. He has taught them that free will is the number one ingredient for success on and off the football field. Take your time reading Stillpower. These thoughtful lessons will change the way you look at the athletic journey. This book is invaluable to anyone who wants to perform better in the heat of competition.'' --Richard McGuiness, president of All-American Games and Football University; creator and producer of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on NBC

''Garret Kramer has refused to accept pre-existing concepts about understanding the cerebral part of athletic competition. Through perceptive analysis and examples, Stillpower unlocks a thought-provoking and groundbreaking approach. Over the past three decades, I have been fortunate to observe, from close range, thousands of athletes and coaches in their pursuit of excellence. All of them could benefit from reading this book, not only to reach new heights on the playing field but in their lives away from the game as well.'' --Rob Cowen, nine-time Emmy Award-winning sports television producer/director

''Having represented professional athletes for more than twenty-five years, it isn't often you come across a book so crucial for an athlete. From high school and college prospects to the pros, Stillpower provides athletes a unique edge. In a counterintuitive sense, Garret Kramer takes the player back to a childlike and free state of mind, where external circumstances are irrelevant. The inner peace and mind-set that an athlete can achieve through the understanding revealed in this book can transform the athlete and create a happier day-to-day existence, eventually allowing the player to become extremely effective in the game.'' --Jay Grossman, president of PuckAgency, LLC

''The brilliance of Garret Kramer's perspective is that he takes the often complicated quest 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. It is a must read for every coach, athlete, parent, or businessperson.'' --Sean Hutchison, U.S.A. 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 All-Star Forward and member of the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team

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. He 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.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press (June 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1608321851
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608321858
  • Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #818,635 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.









Customer Reviews

This Stillpower book is so easy to read and is very insightful. PJSK  |  20 reviewers made a similar statement
Read it now and start getting on the right track. Peter D. Galindez  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
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
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.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing concept July 5, 2011
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.
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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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Stillpower
A somewhat difficult read in comprehending the theories suggested by the author against visualizing theories as suggested by other performance coaches. Read more
Published 2 months ago by HenryG
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, not great.
A lot of ideas I already subscribe to are presented here. Nothing I thought that was really profound and new, but still a worthwhile quick read.
Published 3 months ago by Brian D. Tillman
5.0 out of 5 stars Very powerfull experience!
I do not come from the sports world at all, and at first I thought that this book has not much to do with me, but as I read through it evry page I turned I felt that it's more and... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Yitzi
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh Perspective on Leadership
Are you looking for true success, but every time you try you end of failing or falling short of your goals? Read more
Published 5 months ago by A. Geddes
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best coaching / performance books ever written
Garret Kramer's Stillpower is a an essential book for people who want to connect with the source of superb performance. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jamie Smart
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing
I am a former dancer and figure skater. Initially I thought this book would help me with just coaching and choreography. Not so.. Read more
Published 5 months ago by sophia
5.0 out of 5 stars Clarity at last.
Stillpower is probably the 50th book I've read about sports psychology but the first that really nails it. Kramer has distilled the essence of how to discover your potential. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Declan Stout CPC
5.0 out of 5 stars Rings True!
Finally someone has found the key to achieving high performance in sports and has written about it in a straightforward and accessible way. Read more
Published 5 months ago by DD
5.0 out of 5 stars Stillpower Outstanding Book Any Age
Garret Kramer StillPower was provided to my high school coaching staff of some 95 coaches for reading prior to the school year opening and practices starting. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Athletic Director
1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Written, Verbose
Ok, the concept is great: Stay in the moment! But you don't need 163 pages to say this. Writing is very colloquial and conversational. Read more
Published 5 months ago by holuspolus
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