Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? by Ben Hunt-Davis & Harriet Beveridge Summary

Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? by Ben Hunt-Davis and Harriet Beveridge chronicles the British Olympic rowing team’s journey from underdogs to gold medalists at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It distills their success into actionable strategies like obsessive goal-setting, teamwork, and eliminating distractions, framed around the central question: “Will this action contribute to our ultimate goal?” The book blends sports storytelling with practical frameworks for personal and professional growth.

This book is ideal for athletes, entrepreneurs, and professionals seeking peak performance strategies. Its principles on goal decomposition, resilience, and team dynamics apply to anyone tackling ambitious projects or organizational challenges. Leaders managing high-stakes teams or individuals navigating career transitions will find its actionable advice particularly valuable.

Key concepts include:

• The Four-Layer Goal System: Split objectives into “crazy,” “concrete,” “control,” and “everyday” layers to bridge long-term vision with daily actions.
• The Core Mantra: Evaluate every decision by asking, “Will it make the boat go faster?” to maintain focus.
• Bouncebackability: Cultivating resilience after setbacks.
• Eating the Elephant: Breaking overwhelming tasks into manageable steps.

The book advocates dividing goals into four tiers:

1. Crazy Goal (long-term vision)
2. Concrete Goal (measurable milestones)
3. Control Layer (identifying influenceable factors)
4. Everyday Actions (daily habits).
   This system transforms abstract ambitions into executable steps, as demonstrated by the team’s Olympic preparation.

The “bullshit filter” refers to rigorously eliminating non-essential tasks or distractions that don’t align with core objectives. Inspired by the rowers’ strict focus on boat speed, it teaches readers to prioritize actions that directly advance their goals while discarding superficial efforts.

The book emphasizes alignment through shared purpose, psychological safety, and role clarity. The Olympic crew’s success hinged on trusting each member’s expertise and committing to collective accountability. Teams are advised to establish non-negotiable rules and regularly review progress.

• “It’s riskier not to take risks” (prioritizing bold action over complacency)
• “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time” (tackling large goals incrementally)
• “Get the crocodiles before they get you” (proactively addressing obstacles)

While Atomic Habits focuses on micro-behaviors, Hunt-Davis’s book emphasizes macro-goal structuring within high-stakes environments. Both advocate incremental progress, but Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? adds a team-performance lens and crisis-management strategies absent in Clear’s work.

Yes. The book’s frameworks help professionals identify skill gaps, align daily tasks with career aspirations, and navigate workplace challenges. Its emphasis on “control layers” teaches readers to focus energy on actionable areas rather than external factors.

The authors analyze the 2000 British rowing team’s turnaround from seven years of losses to Olympic gold, detailing how they overhauled training, nutrition, and team communication. Business case studies show how companies applied these principles to improve productivity and innovation.

Yes. Its blend of gripping sports narrative and practical tools makes it stand out in the self-help genre. Readers gain a replicable system for achieving audacious goals, whether in sports, business, or personal growth. The Olympic case study adds credibility rarely found in traditional business books.

Use the four-layer system:

1. Crazy Goal: Complete a marathon.
2. Concrete Goal: Run 3x weekly.
3. Control Layer: Track sleep and nutrition.
4. Everyday Actions: Daily stretching.
   Regularly ask, “Will this workout make my marathon training better?” to avoid irrelevant exercises.