Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success

National Bestseller For readers of Outliers, Atomic Habits, and Deep Work, comes a game-changing approach to creativity and learning, using a secret strategy that’s vaulted business titans and creative geniuses to the top of their profession.

We’ve long been taught there are two ways to succeed–either talent or practice. In Decoding Greatness, award-winning social psychologist Ron Friedman illuminates a powerful third path–one that has launched icons in a wide range of fields, from artists, writers, and chefs, to athletes, inventors, and entrepreneurs: reverse engineering.

To reverse engineer is to look beyond what is evident on the surface and find a hidden structure. It’s the ability to taste an intoxicating dish and deduce its recipe, to listen to a beautiful song and discern its chord progression, to watch your favorite film and grasp its narrative arc.

Clear, concise, and backed by science (Daniel Pink, author of When), Decoding Greatness marries alluring stories and illuminating studies (Adam Grant, author of Think Again) of top performers–from Agatha Christie to Andy Warhol, Barack Obama, to Serena Williams–with groundbreaking research on pattern recognition and skill acquisition. You’ll learn how to take apart examples you admire, pinpoint precisely what makes them work, and apply that knowledge to develop novel ideas and products that are uniquely your own.

Bursting with unforgettable stories and actionable strategies, Decoding Greatness is an indispensable guide to learning from the best, upgrading your skills, and sparking breakthrough ideas.