What is The Right Call by Sally Jenkins about?

The Right Call by Sally Jenkins explores what elite sports can teach us about leadership, decision-making, and excellence in work and life. Drawing from decades of interviewing top coaches and athletes like Bill Belichick, Peyton Manning, and Michael Phelps, Jenkins identifies seven essential principles—Conditioning, Practice, Discipline, Candor, Culture, Failure, and Intention—that drive championship performance and can be applied to any professional or personal pursuit.

Who is Sally Jenkins and why did she write The Right Call?

Sally Jenkins is a veteran Washington Post sportswriter and New York Times bestselling author who has spent her entire adult life observing and writing about great coaches and athletes. She wrote The Right Call after realizing that the talented sports icons she had been covering for years had begun to shape her own thinking about leadership and decision-making, prompting her to distill these lessons into actionable principles for readers.

Who should read The Right Call by Sally Jenkins?

The Right Call appeals to sports fans, business leaders, and anyone seeking to improve their decision-making skills and leadership abilities. Whether you're an athlete striving for excellence, a professional navigating workplace challenges, or someone wanting to elevate personal performance, Jenkins provides practical insights drawn from elite sports that translate across all life domains. Even readers unfamiliar with sports have found the stories compelling and the lessons universally applicable.

Is The Right Call worth reading?

The Right Call receives overwhelmingly positive reviews, with readers praising Jenkins' engaging storytelling and the book's inspirational, actionable insights. The book became a New York Times bestseller and NPR best book of the year, with endorsements from bestselling authors like Charles Duhigg and William D. Cohan. While some readers wished for more direct translation of sports stories to everyday applications, most found the lessons valuable and life-affirming across professional and personal contexts.

What are the seven principles in The Right Call?

The seven principles Sally Jenkins identifies in The Right Call are Conditioning, Practice, Discipline, Candor, Culture, Failure (or Resilience), and Intention. Each principle represents a core element of expertise and championship decision-making observed in elite athletes and coaches. Jenkins dedicates a chapter to each, weaving together research findings, athlete experiences, and practical applications to help readers develop these qualities in their own lives and work.

How does The Right Call explain decision-making under pressure?

The Right Call examines how athletes and coaches make split-second decisions in high-stakes situations by developing expertise through the seven core principles. Jenkins reveals that sound decision-making stems from knowing your "why"—having clear intentions and understanding what you're truly after. The book emphasizes that when you have strong conditioning, practiced discipline, and self-understanding gained through failure, you can think and choose more effectively even in urgent, pressure-filled moments.

What does Sally Jenkins say about failure in The Right Call?

Jenkins describes failure as "an essential precondition for success" and argues that winners are made from people who have been losers at some point. Through candid assessment of failures, individuals acquire the self-understanding and intentionality that lead to eventual victories and acceptance of uncontrollable outcomes. She emphasizes that neither winning nor losing has much value by itself—worthy decision-makers see them as deeply intertwined and equally valuable, which enables losing without losing heart.

What leadership lessons does Steve Kerr teach in The Right Call?

The Right Call highlights how Steve Kerr built the Golden State Warriors' championship culture by learning from legendary coaches Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich, then creating his own authentic approach. When Kerr became head coach, Pete Carroll advised him that success comes not from on-court strategies but from building strong culture. Jenkins emphasizes that Kerr's culture reflected his authentic self, leading to genuine player buy-in that remained consistent even during a terrible injury-plagued season.

L'école de l'excellence

Ce que nous apprend le cœur d'athlète

Sally Jenkins

4.15(1341 Reviews)

Aperçu de L'école de l'excellence

Dans « The Right Call », Sally Jenkins, finaliste du prix Pulitzer, distille la sagesse des athlètes d'élite en sept principes qui changent la vie. Quel secret de prise de décision unit Bill Belichick et Robert Iger ? Ce best-seller du NYT révèle pourquoi la psychologie du sport transforme le leadership en entreprise et la croissance personnelle.

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Chapitre 1

When Champions Make the Right Call: Anatomy of Greatness Under Pressure

In the high-stakes world of professional sports, where millions watch and fortunes hang in the balance, what separates the champions from the also-rans isn't natural talent but something far more profound. "The Right Call" has become a cultural phenomenon since its release, with figures from Bill Gates to LeBron James citing it as essential reading for understanding peak performance. Sally Jenkins, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the first woman inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame, draws on decades of unprecedented access to the world's greatest athletes and coaches to reveal the architecture of excellence. This isn't just another sports book-it's a masterclass in human potential that has transformed how Fortune 500 companies approach leadership development and why military special forces units now incorporate its principles into their training regimens.

Chapitre 2

The Anatomy of Excellence: Deconstructing Greatness

The sportswriter's seat offers an unparalleled vantage point-not for the view of the field, but for its proximity to greatness in practice. After decades covering champions, Jenkins discovered that their exceptional skills aren't gifts of nature but products of attainment. The alertness and executive cool they display in critical moments isn't innate-it's earned and learned through deliberate effort. What truly distinguishes champions is their ability to summon their best precisely when they need it most. This realization transformed Jenkins' own approach to deadline writing as a performance under pressure. From Stephen Curry with his logger-like callused hands to Michael Phelps with his metronomic discipline, these athletes demonstrate that identity is fundamentally a self-construct. As Billie Jean King observed, "People who bet on themselves tend to win." These athletes aren't blessed with fortunate gifts-they sweat in far greater proportion to anything they were born with, refusing to cheat the grind while maintaining remarkable self-awareness. Their greatness comes from a combination of elements that anyone can develop: physical conditioning, deliberate practice, disciplined frameworks, candid communication, supportive culture, learning from failure, and clear intention. When Andy Reid faced a crucial fourth-down decision with the Chiefs trailing 10-0 in a playoff game, he didn't hesitate to go for it rather than kick a safe field goal. The successful conversion sparked momentum toward victory. When asked later if the call was difficult, Reid simply answered, "No, it wasn't"-because he knew precisely what he was doing and why. His decision wasn't based on inspiration or instinct but on thorough preparation and clear thinking. This pattern repeats across domains. Great decision-makers aren't born-they're built through specific habits and mindsets that can be studied and adopted. The elements that create championship-caliber judgment are available to anyone willing to develop them.

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Chapitre 3

The Physical Foundation: How the Body Powers the Mind

Michael Phelps's greatness didn't come from genetic advantages but from relentless work-swimming five miles daily for twenty years, including Sundays and holidays. "The thing that made him great was the work," his coach Bob Bowman insists. Despite scientific attempts to find anatomical advantages in Phelps's physique, besides slightly long arms, his measurements were normal for his height. This reveals a crucial truth: conditioning matters for everyone seeking excellence, even those who believe they work "above the neck." McKinsey analysts recognize "the connection between physical health, emotional health, and judgment." For Phelps's 2008 Beijing Olympics attempt at eight gold medals, he faced seventeen races in nine days-requiring not just physical but mental conditioning. Swimming's resistance (twelve times that of air) makes it uniquely exhausting, burning around 10,000 calories in training. Without cultivated alertness, he'd be "just another disappointed man who had an ambition but couldn't quite carry it out." The brain consumes approximately 20% of the body's fuel even at rest, making sustained thinking physically demanding. Disney chairman Bob Iger, at seventy, maintains a mountaineer's physique through rigorous daily exercise: 4:15am workouts on a VersaClimber, weights three times weekly, 25-mile bike rides, and evening walks. "In the job I have, you're working just about every moment you're awake," Iger explains. "You have to protect yourself to maintain your mental and physical health... I do it for sanity, too. I find it is a head clearing." Exercise literally lights up the brain, improving cognitive function by stimulating neuronal activity and creating synaptic plasticity. Movement generates mitochondria-the cellular "powerhouse" comparable to Tesla battery packs-that charge both physical and mental processes. Even simply walking feeds the brain like a windmill or waterwheel, creating a powerful feedback cycle. Chess grandmasters demonstrate how strategic decision-making requires physical stamina. Despite appearing motionless, their bodies undergo extreme physiological stress during competition-tripled heart rates, surging adrenaline, and metabolic burn rates approaching 6,000 calories daily. World champion Magnus Carlsen maintains his edge through high-intensity interval training, recognizing that "games are lost or won in the final hours due to mistakes caused by fatigue." The ability to delay gratification is fundamental to high performance. Willpower is one of the strongest predictors of professional success, and importantly, it can be cultivated through physical conditioning. Research confirms this connection: University of Kansas scientists found that even moderate exercise programs significantly improved participants' decision-making restraint, with effects lasting well beyond the training period.

Chapitre 4

Deliberate Practice: The Science of Skill Acquisition

Practice transforms ambition into reality through strategic, targeted work that differs from conditioning. While conditioning develops broad capacities, practice refines specific skills through diagnosis and rehearsal. Good practice builds confidence and expands options under pressure, as Mark Cuban notes: "I'm a big believer in practice until you can't get it wrong." The 2006 Indianapolis Colts' "wet ball" drills exemplify this-despite playing in a dome, they regularly practiced with water-soaked footballs. When unexpected rain hit their Super Bowl against Chicago, the Colts handled the ball flawlessly while their opponents fumbled twice. Peyton Manning reflected, "I never left the field saying I could have done more to get ready... that always gave me peace of mind." The New England Patriots' unprecedented success under Tom Brady stemmed from synchronized action based on meticulous Monday-to-Friday preparation. Their practice sessions showed unmatched intensity-every drill executed with keenness, no idle movements. As Sean McVay observed: "That's what it looks like when it's done right." The Patriots practiced fundamentals obsessively, working techniques until "ingrained deep into their bones"-hand positions, foot placements, and leverage techniques with "no number on it until we got it right." Nothing was too small-they even rehearsed handing the ball to referees during two-minute drills to save precious seconds. This "Patriot Way" centered on Belichick's simple mantra: "Do your job." They prioritized dependability over raw talent, played mistake-free football, and maintained stunning discipline-committing 25% fewer penalties than opponents in playoff games. Elite athletes differ from amateurs by practicing what they're worst at rather than avoiding weaknesses. Peyton Manning exemplified this by studying his mistakes obsessively-watching tapes of every interception and near-interception after each season, categorizing them as "avoidable" or "unavoidable," then creating specific drills to address pattern weaknesses. This represents what researcher K. Anders Ericsson called "deliberate practice"-not just accumulating hours but engaging in analytical, targeted improvement with continual assessment. Tom Brady exemplified this mindset by accepting harsh critique from Belichick in practice rather than brooding over insults. Working with throwing coach Tom House, Brady analyzed his mechanics frame-by-frame, making micro-adjustments that improved his completion percentage from 62% in his first decade to consistently above 64% later in his career. Even at nearly 44, he achieved 67.45% accuracy, his second-best ever. House noted that elite athletes seek daily improvement of just 1-2%, a commitment few are willing to make. What appears to be extraordinary reaction time in athletes like Rafael Nadal is actually the result of practiced responses to specific physical cues. Neuroscience researcher Bruce Abernethy's "occlusion" experiments revealed that top tennis players don't have superior reflexes but instead read subtle body movements that novices miss, allowing them to anticipate serves earlier. As cognitive scientist Sian Beilock explains, "Underneath it is a lot of dirty practice."

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Chapitre 5

The Discipline Framework: Structure Without Rigidity

Discipline is perhaps the most misunderstood element of excellence. It's essential for consistent decision-making but isn't about militaristic enforcement. Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia demonstrated the dangers of dictatorial approaches-banning music and jersey swaps while berating players with foul language, causing respected veterans to lose all regard for him. After Patricia told cornerback Darius Slay to "Stop sucking that man's dick" for complimenting an opponent, the three-time Pro Bowler eventually left the team. The Lions finished last in their division under Patricia's leadership until his firing. True discipline isn't about forced compliance but developing self-control. Steve Kerr's parents understood this when dealing with his hypercompetitive childhood tantrums. Rather than constraining him, they channeled his temperament through John Wooden's basketball camp, where Kerr learned that "self-control in little things leads to control of bigger things"-starting with tying dormitory keys to shoelaces. Kerr's parents modeled composed behavior at his games, sitting quietly while other parents shouted, then waiting for him to cool down before discussing his reactions. Through their patience, Kerr gradually developed the composure that would become his coaching trademark. Today, he advises sports parents: "Keep your mouth shut. Just shut up." His experience demonstrates that discipline is fundamentally self-rule, not external control. The greatest coaches understand that discipline isn't about obedience but creating a self-perpetuating ethic. Pat Summitt told her players, "Discipline yourselves, so no one else has to," seeing it as more than temporary behavior control. Her only inflexible rule was about class attendance, because she wanted self-selecting players whose personal rigor matched her own. In 38 years, 34 players transferred out-"Tennessee isn't for everybody," she'd say. Inconsistent leadership breeds distrust. Pete Carroll notes that inconsistency is "one of the greatest pitfalls" in decision-making, as players watch to see if leaders truly believe in something or deal with situations randomly. Leaders who exempt themselves from standards they impose on others face particular hostility. Small disciplined decisions accumulate into credibility over time. Derek Jeter exemplified this by maintaining the same bedtime routine throughout his 20-year career, regardless of temptations or location. His consistency yielded five World Series titles and numerous records. Former Yankees performance director Dana Cavalea observed that "set habits lead to more predictable and favorable outcomes." The ultimate misconception about discipline is that it restricts freedom. As mental performance coach Harvey Dorfman put it, "Self-discipline is a form of freedom"-freedom from laziness, others' expectations, weakness, fear and doubt. The disciplined person creates more options for themselves-career, lifestyle, financial-and thus has the best chance of making the "right" call.

Chapitre 6

The Language of Leadership: Candid Communication

The right call can swing a game, but the right word at the right time has infinitely more power. Mark Twain noted the difference between the right word and almost-right word is "the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." Coaches know that high performers can't be manipulated with fake speeches-only truth transforms performance. Diana Nyad's fourth attempt at swimming from Cuba to Florida was halted when she encountered deadly box jellyfish whose venom could cause cardiac arrest. Despite being stung repeatedly and experiencing excruciating pain described as "fire," Nyad insisted on continuing after medical treatment. Though she swam for several more hours, she was pulled eastward toward the Bahamas and couldn't maintain her pace. Bonnie Stoll tearfully ended the attempt, telling Nyad, "I watched you almost die last night... I don't think I could do that again." A year later in August 2012, they tried again. Nyad wore a protective suit against jellyfish and swam strongly for two days until a lightning storm forced Stoll to end the attempt for the crew's safety. When Nyad proposed a fourth attempt weeks later, Stoll initially refused, believing Nyad had become obsessed. After mediation with Steve Munatones, who noted their powerful "Ishin Denshin" communication (an unspoken mutual understanding), Stoll rejoined the effort. On their fifth overall attempt in 2013, favorable currents finally helped. When Nyad had to don her uncomfortable protective suit as night fell, Stoll broke their cardinal rule by revealing they only had fifteen hours left-"just a training swim" to Nyad. After nearly 53 continuous hours, 64-year-old Nyad reached Key West. Their clear communication had been crucial to success. Leadership isn't just issuing orders-it's persuading others to execute them with conviction. Great leaders understand the crucial distinction between blame (accusation) and critique (explanation). They don't just identify problems-they present solutions and emphasize improvement rather than dwelling on failures. As Tony Dungy explains, "It's easy to criticize, but most people learn better if you say, 'This is what I'm looking for to help us.'" Management scientist Paul Nutt confirms that blame prompts defensive action, while separating performance from the person using data and analysis creates "communal interest" rather than finger-pointing. Effective communication sometimes requires silence. Steve Kerr, whose Golden State Warriors claimed four NBA championships in eight years, demonstrates this through his "Silent 10" drill where players run offense without speaking, using only eye contact and hand signals. This exercise reawakens awareness of teammates and shows that excessive talking can actually silence others. The outdated notion that leadership requires emotional stoicism was challenged when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott publicly discussed his depression, anxiety, and insomnia after losing his brother to suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked if his vulnerability compromised his leadership, Prescott responded firmly: "No, I think that is being a fake leader. Being a leader is about being genuine and being real." His courage paid off-the Cowboys demonstrated their confidence with a four-year, $160 million contract. As social worker-author Brene Brown told military special forces at Fort Bragg: "Vulnerability is not weakness. It's our most accurate measure of courage." Prescott's emotional candor gave permission to others in the NFL to examine their own emotional landscapes, making him a more persuasive leader because of his authenticity rather than projecting false strength.

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Chapitre 7

Building a Culture of Excellence: The Environment

Steve Kerr observes that "culture"-despite being an overused term-is fundamentally more important than strategy in building successful organizations. As he learned, coaching is only "25 to 30 percent strategy. Everything else is about communication and what your players feel when they come into the building every day." When Kerr became head coach of the Golden State Warriors in 2014, he brought a thick file of plays from his playing days under legendary coaches. But a pivotal meeting with Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll changed his perspective completely. After observing Carroll's dynamic, music-filled practices where players worked with unbridled intensity, Kerr was stunned when Carroll dismissed his strategic questions with: "No, no, that stuff doesn't matter." Instead, Carroll advised him to identify his core values: "Who are you? What are you all about, and what are your uncompromising principles?" Bill Walsh believed a team's greatness depended on bonding, not just schemes. Before any practices began, he prioritized team integration, breaking down barriers of race, economics, background, and geography. Walsh would disrupt cafeteria cliques, forcing players to intermix and know each other "an inch or two" below the skin. His goal was to create a unified group rather than "independent contractors" who would stand together during tough circumstances. The most distinct culture Kerr experienced was Phil Jackson's approach with the Chicago Bulls. Jackson saw himself as more than a coach-almost a Zen master moving the organization "toward a higher nature." Team days began in a room filled with Native American artifacts, reflecting Jackson's interest in Lakota culture. He called his team a "tribe" where no one "acted apart" from the group. Jackson's Triangle offense embodied his cultural philosophy of "Oneness"-a system requiring players to surrender their egos and the ball. Under Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs, Kerr experienced a family-styled environment with Pop as a benevolent patriarch. Though authoritative on the floor, Popovich was also a gentle questioner and listener, "almost like a good parent." His legendary team dinners became cultural rituals. A wine connoisseur, Pop insisted on eating good meals together after games-win or lose. After studying his mentors, Kerr realized they were all authentic to themselves while building beautiful cultures. When he asked himself what defining value he wanted for the Warriors, the word that came to mind was "joy." He wanted players to feel the original pleasure kids do when play is still just play. To build this culture, Kerr first established relationships by flying around the world to meet each player at their home-even making a thirty-hour round trip to Australia for a two-hour dinner with center Andrew Bogut. His approach worked spectacularly-the Warriors broke the NBA record for most wins by a rookie head coach, going 67-15 and winning their first title in forty years. It was the beginning of a dynasty that would capture three championships and make five straight NBA Finals appearances. And throughout this remarkable run, they maintained that childlike quality, playing as if basketball was still just a game.

Chapitre 8

Failure as the Ultimate Teacher

Every Super Bowl champion team includes numerous players who were once considered failures-drifters, discards, and undrafted talents who found their way to success. The Kansas City Chiefs' 2020 championship journey exemplifies how failure can become a powerful teacher. In the 2019 AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs suffered an agonizing defeat when defender Dee Ford lined up offsides by just four inches, negating a game-winning interception against the Patriots. Rather than blame Ford or the officials, coach Andy Reid told his team, "We all could have been four inches better. We've got to move forward." Reid transformed those "four inches" into the team's mantra for improvement. A year later, they won the Super Bowl, coming back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the 49ers. When asked what quality carried them to victory, Reid simply said everyone had decided to get "four inches better." Management scientist Paul C. Nutt estimates that half of all organizational decisions fail, but successful leaders respond with forthright inquiry rather than denial. The best athletic play callers recognize that all decisions come with complexities requiring deep dissection. As Steve Kerr notes, "I don't think it's that simple... I could have completely butchered a game, and then Steph Curry made six threes in a row, and we won." Simply put, champions are good losers. They approach failure with an engineer's mindset, respecting that breaking things is essential to improvement. Jeff Bezos champions this at Amazon, writing to shareholders that "failure comes part and parcel with invention. It's not optional." His willingness to fail spectacularly-from the Fire Phone to Pets.com-enabled the massive successes of Amazon Web Services, Kindle, and Prime. Former U.S. women's soccer coach Jill Ellis exemplifies the courage to experiment despite criticism. After a shocking 2016 Olympic loss, Ellis completely reconstructed her team, trying sixty different players for just twenty-three roster spots. Ellis endured unpopularity while methodically building a more versatile team. By 2019, she had refreshed the roster with eleven World Cup newcomers, creating a powerful mix of veterans and fresh talent. Despite ongoing second-guessing, Ellis's moves visibly paid off. The team dominated the 2019 World Cup with twenty-six goals while conceding just three. Ellis operated from a simple conviction: "You have to be able to live with a miss." She trusted her comprehensive view: "You see the whole iceberg, and most people just see the tip." This attitude enabled one of the greatest victories in the team's history.

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Chapitre 9

Intention: The Power of Purposeful Action

At forty-three, when most football players would have retired, Tom Brady sought a second wind by leaving the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His commitment was evident when broadcaster Charles Barkley spotted him running sprints in the parking lot before a charity golf event. When asked why, Brady simply replied, "I'm trying to win a Super Bowl." Brady's journey exemplifies how intention can overcome natural limitations. His infamous draft evaluation described him as having a "poor build," "skinny," lacking "physical stature and arm strength," with "no mobility" and easily "knocked down." This wasn't an insult but an accurate assessment of his physical traits at the time. As Richard Branson wrote, "Intention in its very essence is a futuristic act." Brady constructed greatness through deliberate effort, driven by what he called "insecurity." As a high school freshman, he rode the bench on a winless team that never scored. Through relentless self-improvement, including attending youth camps where coach Tom Martinez taught precise mechanics, Brady transformed himself. At Michigan, he started seventh on the depth chart, eventually consulting sports psychologist Greg Harden who reframed his limited opportunities: "If you can do it when it's third and eight, then everyone will know you can do it on third and four." Brady learned to shift from victim mentality to empowerment, telling himself: "You can look at it one way, and never get a bit better. Or you can put it on yourself to get better." After his first Super Bowl win, Brady temporarily lost his focus amid newfound celebrity. Following his second championship, Brady traveled alone through Europe, visiting museums and sitting anonymously in cafes. This solitude helped him realize his true passion wasn't celebrity life but the simple camaraderie of the locker room-the egalitarian atmosphere where everyone wore the same gray sweats, worked toward common goals, and celebrated victories together. This self-understanding simplified his decisions. He began declining seven-figure endorsements to preserve his energy and focus. After a knee injury and post-surgery infection in 2008 gave him a glimpse of life as "an arthritic old man," Brady partnered with Alex Guerrero to develop a comprehensive training program using resistance bands, yoga, alternative therapies, hydration, and an anti-inflammatory diet. His life became organized around a simple principle: everything was either an "input" or an "output." Strong intentions alone aren't enough for leadership-others must perceive your intentions as good. Leaders must genuinely care about their people, as Brady noted: "If you don't care about the people you work with, you're hosed." Psychologist Robert Hogan argues we study leadership backward by focusing on those who aggressively reach the top rather than asking if followers find them worth following. People grant cooperation only when they trust your intentions; otherwise, they withhold effort, creating organizational death spirals. Many executives who climb over others to reach the top mistake leadership for warlording-using people and commanding rather than collaborating. The truth is teams can destroy any leader through "leveling mechanisms," as anthropologist Christopher Boehm describes. These social controls against self-serving leaders have existed since ancient human societies.

Chapitre 10

The Heart of Greatness: Finding Meaning Beyond Victory

The elements explored throughout-conditioning, practice, discipline, candor, culture, failure, and intention-form the foundation of acumen in any field, but must be activated by deeper purpose. Great performers operate on aspiration, not just mechanics. They approach their craft with wholehearted exploration, finding meaning that sustains them through pressures and losses. Steve Kerr found unexpected joy coaching the injury-plagued Warriors to a league-worst 15-50 record in 2020, discovering something pure in teaching young players with no expectations. Despite losing, they maintained their culture of joy-playing music in practice and making fun of each other. This foundation later paid off with their fourth NBA Championship in eight years. When facing overwhelming circumstances, loving your daily endeavor makes the difference. Big wave surfer Laird Hamilton emphasizes that responding correctly under pressure comes from being there "for the pure reason"-because it's what you truly want and believe in. Without this genuine motivation, you'll panic when challenges arise. During a challenging 2004 season after losing her starting point guard to injury, Pat Summitt reconfigured her team by asking each player to contribute slightly more. In the NCAA semifinals against LSU, with the score tied 50-50 and six seconds remaining, Summitt made a bold call-an all-in defensive trap that resulted in a steal and game-winning layup. Though Tennessee lost the championship game to UConn the next day, Summitt's love of coaching transcended winning. Despite winning eight national titles, she finished as a "loser" thirty times in her career, yet maintained her passion, telling Jenkins, "I love it. Love it." When you choose a profession for love rather than just pay, work acquires its own momentum and becomes a natural part of who you are. This connection creates the "athletic heart"-that mysterious mechanism that enables the most free-flowing performances. Those who fully immerse themselves in work they love discover they "can't lose" regardless of outcomes. The secret to making the right call under pressure isn't just about technical mastery-it's about finding genuine purpose in what you do. When you operate from that center, decisions become clearer, pressure feels lighter, and even failure serves as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. This is the ultimate lesson from champions across every field: greatness isn't just about winning-it's about approaching each challenge with wholehearted commitment to something larger than yourself.

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À propos de l'auteur

Sally Jenkins est l'auteure renommée de The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Work and Life et l'une des chroniqueuses sportives les plus décorées d'Amérique. Née à Fort Worth, au Texas, et diplômée de l'université de Stanford, Jenkins travaille comme rédactrice de fond pour The Washington Post depuis plus de deux décennies, remportant cinq fois le prix de la chroniqueuse sportive de l'année de l'AP et recevant une nomination pour le prix Pulitzer en 2020.

Ce livre sur le leadership et le développement personnel s'appuie sur ses décennies passées à suivre des athlètes et des entraîneurs d'élite pour traduire les principes sportifs de haut niveau en enseignements concrets pour la prise de décision en entreprise et la vie quotidienne. Jenkins est l'auteure de douze livres, dont quatre best-sellers du New York Times — notamment le numéro un des ventes Sum It Up avec la légendaire entraîneuse de basket-ball Pat Summitt et It's Not About the Bike avec le cycliste Lance Armstrong.

Fille du journaliste sportif Dan Jenkins, membre du Hall of Fame, elle apporte à la fois un profond héritage industriel et une perspective originale à l'exploration de la manière dont l'excellence sportive reflète les plus grands défis de la vie. Ses travaux ont été publiés dans Smithsonian Magazine, GQ et Sports Illustrated, et elle a été correspondante pour les émissions All Things Considered de NPR et sur CNBC.

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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

Decouvrez comment BeFreed est discute sur le web

Cree par des anciens de Columbia University a San Francisco

LOVED BY

1,000,000+ curious minds.

4.7

avg rating

1M+ learners

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

Decouvrez comment BeFreed est discute sur le web

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Chapitre 6

L'école de l'excellence

AperçuAperçu de L'école de l'excellence

Un livre. De nombreuses façons de l'écouter.

When Champions Make the Right Call: Anatomy of Greatness Under Pressure

The Anatomy of Excellence: Deconstructing Greatness

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The Physical Foundation: How the Body Powers the Mind

Deliberate Practice: The Science of Skill Acquisition

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The Discipline Framework: Structure Without Rigidity

The Language of Leadership: Candid Communication

Voyez chaque mot au fil de l'écoute

Building a Culture of Excellence: The Environment

Failure as the Ultimate Teacher

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Intention: The Power of Purposeful Action

The Heart of Greatness: Finding Meaning Beyond Victory

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À propos de l'auteur

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Découvrir plus

1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

Un livre. De nombreuses façons de l'écouter.

When Champions Make the Right Call: Anatomy of Greatness Under Pressure

The Anatomy of Excellence: Deconstructing Greatness

Voyez chaque mot au fil de l'écoute

The Physical Foundation: How the Body Powers the Mind

Deliberate Practice: The Science of Skill Acquisition

Profitez davantage de L'école de l'excellence

The Discipline Framework: Structure Without Rigidity

The Language of Leadership: Candid Communication

Voyez chaque mot au fil de l'écoute

Building a Culture of Excellence: The Environment

Failure as the Ultimate Teacher

Profitez davantage de L'école de l'excellence

Intention: The Power of Purposeful Action

The Heart of Greatness: Finding Meaning Beyond Victory

Vous êtes arrivé au bout de L'école de l'excellence

Les utilisateurs ont aussi aimé

Découvrir plus

Aperçu de L'école de l'excellence