Matthew Syed author photo
Image via 维基共享资源, 授权协议 CC BY 3.0.

Matthew Syed

出生: November 02, 1970 – Reading, Berkshire, England

Matthew Syed is a British author, journalist, and broadcaster whose work explores performance, mindset, learning from failure, and cognitive diversity. Best known for the bestselling books Bounce, Black Box Thinking, and Rebel Ideas, he has influenced business, education, and leadership conversations through widely read journalism and popular nonfiction.

传记与作者历程

Matthew Syed’s path to authorship began far from the literary world. Born in Reading in 1970 to a Pakistani father and Welsh mother, he left school at sixteen to focus on table tennis, taught himself A levels between training sessions, and then went to Balliol College, Oxford, to study philosophy, politics and economics, graduating with a first-class degree in 1995. By then he had already represented Great Britain at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and was rising toward a long spell as the British table-tennis number one, later adding three Commonwealth Championship singles titles. One of the decisive turning points in his life came after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where his own experience of performing poorly under pressure pushed him to examine how excellence, failure, and learning really work. ((https://www.matthewsyed.co.uk/about-matthew/))

展开更多

名言

quote
The tragedy, of course, is that failure is a pre-requisite for growth
-Overcoming the Fear of Failure
quote
The truth, however, is that by never failing, they never progress
-Why failure is the key to flying high
quote
Messing up isn’t the end; it is the beginning of a new phase
-The importance of leaving your comfort zone and accepting the odd failure
quote
I wasted so much time trying to fit in as a child
-Back to School – 5 Tips for Coping with Change
quote
In a complex world, progress is not about proclaiming how much you know, but finding out what you don’t know
-What business and HR leaders can learn from the CEO of Microsoft
quote
To prioritise a harmonious relationship over critical (but respectful) feedback torpedoes improvement
-Why psychological safety is mission-critical
quote
The one thing they both pushed back on was a failure even to try
-Kids must be willing to fail if they want to succeed

发现更多

Mastering Self, Business, Tech & Society

Mastering Self, Business, Tech & Society

学习计划

Mastering Self, Business, Tech & Society

In an era of rapid technological shifts, success requires a blend of inner discipline and external strategic foresight. This plan is designed for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs who want to master their mindset while navigating the complex intersection of AI, business innovation, and global systems.

2 h 26 m4 章节
Self-Improvement, Memoirs & Social Skills

Self-Improvement, Memoirs & Social Skills

学习计划

Self-Improvement, Memoirs & Social Skills

This plan bridges the gap between internal mindset shifts and external social mastery by combining psychological principles with real-world wisdom from memoirs. It is ideal for professionals and lifelong learners seeking to enhance their interpersonal influence and personal effectiveness through a holistic approach to growth.

2 h 26 m4 章节
Books Recommended by Tom Bilyeu
书籍

Books Recommended by Tom Bilyeu

Unlock your potential with top non-fiction books Tom Bilyeu recommends—build discipline, master mindset, and level up your life.

BeFreed 团队

Mind, Body, Science & Self-Improvement Habits

Mind, Body, Science & Self-Improvement Habits

学习计划

Mind, Body, Science & Self-Improvement Habits

In an era of information overload, understanding the biological and psychological drivers of performance is essential for sustainable growth. This plan is designed for high-achievers and lifelong learners looking to bridge the gap between scientific theory and practical self-improvement.

2 h 56 m4 章节
Mind, Habits & Philosophy for Growth

Mind, Habits & Philosophy for Growth

学习计划

Mind, Habits & Philosophy for Growth

This plan bridges the gap between modern neuroscience and classical philosophy to provide a comprehensive framework for self-mastery. It is ideal for professionals and lifelong learners seeking to optimize their mental performance, break stagnant patterns, and build a resilient mindset for a volatile world.

2 h 13 m4 章节
The Best Sports Books
书籍

The Best Sports Books

Get inside the mind of champions with sports books that blend physical grit, mental discipline, and stories of iconic athletes.

BeFreed 团队

Boost mindset & life skills

Boost mindset & life skills

学习计划

Boost mindset & life skills

This comprehensive plan combines psychology, neuroscience, and performance optimization to give you the mental frameworks and practical skills that separate high achievers from the rest. Perfect for professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to break through plateaus, build better relationships, and create lasting positive change in their personal and professional life.

2 h 26 m4 章节
Always Smart and successful

Always Smart and successful

学习计划

Always Smart and successful

This learning plan combines neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and performance science to create a comprehensive system for cognitive excellence and sustained success. It's ideal for ambitious professionals, students, entrepreneurs, and lifelong learners who want to optimize their thinking, build high-performance habits, and achieve lasting results rather than temporary wins.

2 h 1 m4 章节

社区声音

"Matthew Syed has assembled a compelling base of evidence from a wide range of scientists"

Tim Harford ((

"Matthew Syed excels in drawing together disparate stories and examples into an interesting narrative"

TES ((

"Matthew Syed's first book for children, You Are Awesome, was a massive hit"

The Independent ((

"Matthew Syed has issued a stirring call to revolutionise how we think about success"

Daniel Pink ((

"Matthew Syed is one of the world’s most influential thinkers in high performance and cultural change"

HR Magazine ((

"Children's nonfiction has seldom looked better and sales are soaring, led by Matthew Syed's You Are Awesome"

The Guardian ((

"Retrieval was Matthew Syed's forte when he was England's number one table tennis player"

Howard Jacobson ((

"Matthew Syed is a writer who takes readers beneath the surface of the news cycle and into deeper trends shaping the world"

The Press Awards ((

关于此页面的常见问题

由哥伦比亚大学校友在旧金山创建

BeFreed 汇聚了全球超过 1,000,000 求知若渴的学习者

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

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

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

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

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

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

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

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

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

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

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

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

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

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

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

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

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

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

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

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

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

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

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

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

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

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

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

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

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

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

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

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

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

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

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

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

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

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

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

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star
1.5K Ratings4.7
开启你的学习之旅,就是现在