《一流的人如何保持顛峰》是一本實用性的書籍,顧名思義,即是討論同樣是人,為何某些人的表現總是可以贏過其他人?是否有某些模式或是法則可供依循?
作者的組成也很有趣:擔任作家的布萊德.史托伯格(Brad Stulberg) 與運動員教練史蒂夫.麥格尼斯(Steve Magness)共同編輯本書,兩個不同領域的人,以「運動」作為引言,擦出不少火花,進而引領本書的誕生。
維持巔峰有其秘訣
本書於2019年出版,英文書名《Peak Performance》,直譯為巔峰的表現,顧名思義,就是在探討巔峰表現的內涵。
兩位作者在序章講述了他們年輕時最輝煌的時刻,他們的大有可為與前途無量,但是卻無法持續下去。一位曾是差點打破紀錄的最佳短跑運動員,另一位則是有可能在政治幕僚圈中起飛的顧問,在他們看似節節高升的路途中迎來了事業下坡,他們在失意尋找第二春時碰見彼此,於是開始思考一個核心問題:健康又持久的巔峰狀態存在嗎?如果有,要如何保持?
兩人的腦力激盪,催生了這本好書。
本書探究許多最前沿的科學文獻,並透過許多實例來描述保持一流巔峰的訣竅,書中一開始就提到現今運動員的訓練方式是透過訓練→休息的循環來進行,這種方法稱作「週期式訓練」,其實也直接點破了本書核心觀念:
「要休息。」
為何要從運動員開始談起,因為相較於其他領域,體育能受到的干擾較少,要掌握的變數也相對單純,在試驗中最容易估算不同訓練方法帶來的成效,而休息已被實證是必不可少的一環,同時人們也發現,休息不僅只對運動員有效,在其他領域的訓練也扮演關鍵角色。
作者提出了一條定律,那就是
壓力 + 休息 = 成長
這樣的要訣聽起來似乎很違反直覺,對吧?
不過無數的研究結果已經指出,人的成長與復原其實都發生在休息階段,不管是大腦重新組織或是肌肉再連結,都必須在休息的狀態下才能開展。
適度的休息,與適當的訓練同等重要。
裡頭還不經意地提到一個觀念,我覺得很有用,那就是每個人一天睡眠約八個小時,占了人一天的三分之一,白日專注訓練都不見得可以到達這個時數,因此如果能夠適當的休息,其實總體效果反而更好,因為那等同於你連睡眠的八小時也在訓練,只不過把訓練的內容改成「能量復原」罷了。
睡眠不僅使身體復原,同時還增加新的鍵結,不管是肌肉還是大腦的神經元。言而總之,在某種適度的壓力下,如果再搭配休息,將會是最有效率的進步方式。埋頭苦練將成為過去式,科學化的訓練在如今已成潮流。
《一流的人如何保持顛峰》在書中前半段,主要談到「休息」這個核心觀念,而中後段則將目標轉向「如何進入狀況」以及「如何維持巔峰」。
而實踐的方法也不難,簡單來說就是「保持儀式感」以及「存有信念」。

image credit: Maarten van den Heuvel via Pexels
保持儀式感
所謂的儀式感其實就是事前準備,當中的概念與《原子習慣》提到的觀念非常類似。運動員在比賽前深呼吸、部落勇士唱戰歌、甚至於考試前在手上寫字吃掉,都是儀式感的展現。
更精確來說,事前準備起到的是心理層面上的安定效用。
知名作家村上春樹將寫作視為一種苦行,為此他每天必須早起、慢跑、游泳,然後靜下心來寫作,透過這種方式養成長期寫作的規律,這種儀式並不僅是單純的事前準備,更是對自己的一種承諾。
從某方面來講,寫作並不是坐在桌前動筆才開始的,而是從早起的那一刻,就為這一天拉起了序幕。
儀式感不只在心理層面有作用,更被證實影響人體內的激素分泌,就好像大腦接收到某種暗示後做出回應一般,而這也帶出激發巔峰表現的最後一個要素,也就是「信念」。
存有信念
信念能使不可能化為可能,事實上,人在疲累時會觸發中斷機制,以運動為例,當你累到跑不動時,其實就是大腦切斷了連結,雖然人還是可以跑,但是為了避免超過極限而受傷,大腦會決定在你身上強加拘束器,限制你過度地運動。
但是中斷機制是可以被打破的。
往往在那些關鍵的時刻,例如戰爭、火災逃難等情況下,人的潛能會被激發出來。
書中引述為了拯救孩子而在火災現場衝進衝出的母親、為了拯救傷者居然能抬起汽車的男子,說明激發潛能是可能的。但畢竟這是比較危急的狀態,在平日又要如何誘發這種能力呢?兩位作者也發現,存有信念(或使命)的人,也較容易能夠進入這種狀態。
看看那些參加極限馬拉松的選手,便不難明白這種道理。
信念使人較少看待自我,較能忽略自我的呼喊,轉而將目標放在較崇高的事物上。無論是馬拉松跑者還是苦行僧,都能夠忍耐生理上的苦楚,轉而追尋精神上的超脫。

image credit: Victor Freitas via Pexels
後記
其實讀完這本書後,我對於獲得實用的知識感到愉快,但同時也感到疲累。
因為實在太辛苦了,人類透過科學、實證、實驗等方式不斷拉高自身的極限,從而使競爭無疑更加劇烈,這些法則被優秀的人、有知識的人所運用,反而讓我們這種平凡人備感壓力。
你要是不跟上,很快就會被甩在後頭。
不僅僅是甩在後頭,可能連車尾燈都看不到。
這是一種極端的M型化分配,知識與技能正在以顯著的方式通貨膨脹中,三十年前的台灣人只要英打可以到每分鐘60字,大概就能找到一份文字編輯工作,今日的年輕人要是不會基礎程式設計,可能連錄取的機會都沒有。以前擁有穩定儲蓄的紀律能夠保你不愁吃穿,如今多數年輕人都必須透過學習理財投資來避免自己的資產一文不值。
我們如同囚徒困境中的犯人般,陷入掙扎,但最終還是必須得跟上這班列車。
於是我們看到社會的整體福祉與效率增加,但卻是個人的幸福卻下降了。
事實上以我個人的觀點,並不是所有人都能夠、也都願意追求巔峰。
講白話一點,就是把自己「逼到太緊」了。
維持巔峰,會有其相應的代價。
而其中的難點,就在於如何維持而不被惰性擊敗。
畢竟外界的誘惑是如此之多,以至於讓專心致志成為一項難能可貴的天賦。
在《一流的人如何保持顛峰》書中,有許多成功人士的例子,他們成功的法門並不難:抗壓、休息、重複無聊的事、讓自己做好事前準備、給予自己信念或承諾,一切的起頭都不難,只等待時間複利發酵。
“本書中提到的每為頂尖高手都有一個共通點,他們都不以現況為滿。即使他們已經在各自的領域裡登峰造極,依然有強烈的幹勁,想要精益求精。”
你準備好踏上顛峰之路的旅途了嗎?
Hello my family member! I wish to say that this article is awesome, nice written and come with almost all vital infos. I would like to see extra posts like this .
I like this post, enjoyed this one regards for putting up.
I am not very superb with English but I get hold this real easy to interpret.
hello there and thank you for your info – I have definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical points using this website, since I experienced to reload the website lots of times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and could damage your high-quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Well I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot more of your respective intriguing content. Ensure that you update this again soon..
Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my facebook group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thanks
Hello, did you know that there are 241,120 internet directories in the world.
These websites are what drive traffic to YOUR business.
Want more traffic? Want more Sales? We can help – today.
Your website minerhung.com is listed in only 72 of these directories.
Get more traffic for your Global audience.
Our automated system adds your website to all of the directories.
You can find it here: getlisted.directory/minerhung.com
Act today, and we will expedite your listings and waive the processing charge!
certainly like your website but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I?¦ll surely come back again.
Convert minerhung.com to an app with one click!
80% of users browse websites from their phones.
Have the App send out push notifications without any extra marketing costs!
MakeMySiteMobile.com
Hello, did you know that there are 241,120 internet directories in the world.
These websites are what drive traffic to YOUR business.
Want more traffic? Want more Sales? We can help – today.
Your website minerhung.com is listed in only 72 of these directories.
Get more traffic for your Global audience.
Our automated system adds your website to all of the directories.
You can find it here: getlisted.directory/minerhung.com
Act today, and we will expedite your listings and waive the processing charge!
We have a special going on. Use “FRIENDS” on checkout for a 50% discount valid today.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a article author for your blog. You have some really great articles and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d absolutely love to write some content for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please blast me an e-mail if interested. Thank you!
Hi there very cool website!! Man .. Excellent .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally…I am happy to find numerous useful info right here in the post, we’d like develop extra strategies in this regard, thanks for sharing.
Greetings from Carolina! I’m bored at work so I decided to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m shocked at how fast your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, fantastic site!
It is really a great and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
You must participate in a contest for among the best blogs on the web. I’ll suggest this web site!
I have been browsing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be a lot more useful than ever before.