The First Rule of Mastery

The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying about What People Think of You
by Michael Gervais PhD

Published: November 7, 2023
Length: 224 pages
International Rights Sold: US / Harvard University Press, UK / Harvard University Press, Arabic, Complex Chinese, German, Korean, Romanian, Russian, Simplified, Chinese, Spanish, Complex Chinese

A groundbreaking guide for overcoming what may be the greatest constrictor of human potential: our fear of peoples opinions (FOPO).

In THE FIRST RULE OF MASTERY, Michael Gervais shows us the key to leading a high-performance life is to redirect our attention from the world outside us to the world inside us. As one of the world's leading experts on the relationship between the mind and human performance, Gervais takes an in-depth look at the noxious effects of FOPO while laying out the mental skills and practices we need to achieve personal excellencethe same skills he's taught to the top performers in the world including sports MVPs and Fortune 100 leaders and teams.

Filled with fascinating stories from the worlds of sports and business, leading-edge science, and insights from the popular Finding Mastery podcast, THE FIRST RULE OF MASTERY is a much-needed wake-up call that when we give more value to other people's opinions than our own, we live life on their terms, not ours.

Review & Praise ----------------------------------------------------

"Gervais's ability to intertwine theory with actionable strategies make this a worthy addition to collections. Will appeal to a broad, general readership."  --Library Journal 

"I love his insights, his straight talk, and his pitch-perfect advice! Mike draws on the latest research and his own practices and principles to explain why we care so much about what other people think of us and what to do about it." --Angela Duckworth, bestselling author, Grit; co-founder, The Character Lab

"Whether our pursuit of being our best is in business, in parenting, or in sports, Michael Gervais's The First Rule of Mastery helps us place attention on those elements within our control rather than wasting focus and energy on those that are not." --Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft

"The First Rule of Mastery eloquently and convincingly shares modern insights and timeless wisdom to free us from the fear of other people's opinions." --Brady Brewer, Executive Vice President, Starbucks Corporation

"This book is an indispensable road map to self-mastery for us all." --Kerri Walsh Jennings, five-time Olympian and four-time medalist

"I wish I had read this book earlier in my life. This is absolutely a game changer for anyone looking to become their very best self. . . ." --Julie Foudy, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion; two-time Olympic gold medalist