The Plateau Effect: Getting From Stuck To Success

Just try harder. Just work harder. Just do more. These phrases ring in our ears during crunch time. But then one day the hard work doesn't seem to be getting you anywhere . . . You've reached a plateau. In The Plateau Effect, Bob Sullivan and Hugh Thompson explore the root causes of the plateaus affecting everyone in all aspects of life. This is a book for anyone who's ever given more and more to a broken relationship, a weight-loss regimen, a stalled career only to get less and less in return. More than just a matter of trying harder, Sullivan and Thompson show how overcoming the Plateau Effect requires overcoming the most powerful force of nature you've never heard of. Step by step they unmask the causes of plateaus, from why we naturally grow accustomed to things to how we fail to act at the right times; they set out the flow and data analysis mechanisms that cause you to get stuck; and finally, they identify the peak behaviors that place breakthroughs within anyone's grasp. How did all-star shortstop Derek Jeter reinvent his athletic ability mid career? How did the market-dominating giant Blockbuster fail to read the writing on the wall? Why do mystery ingredients remain mysterious whether you are Rise & Shine Biscuit Kitchen and Caf? or Google? What is the secret of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA's) success? How can understanding the greedy algorithm, the just-noticeable difference, and fuzzing help you outwit plateaus? The compelling stories that answer these questions can change your life. Anything you want to do okay an instrument, run a business, build relationships you can accomplish faster by understanding the Plateau Effect. Here's how things get better.