Book SummaryThe Art of Impossible, by Steven Kotler

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Art of Impossible

Goals feel impossible when you see no discernible way to get from where you are to where you want to be. However, this isn’t an excuse to give up on your dreams. Just because you’re currently unable to see a way doesn’t mean that there isn’t one.

In The Art of Impossible, bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and peak performance expert Steven Kotler draws on extensive neurobiological research to...

The Art of Impossible Summary Neurochemicals Drive Peak Performers to Succeed

According to Kotler, elite performers achieve seemingly impossible feats because they consistently perform at the peak of their capabilities and push themselves to exceed their potential. How are they able to maintain this level of commitment? Kotler argues that it’s because their neurochemistry supports their high-performance habits.

In this first part of the guide, we’ll explore what neurochemicals are and how they drive your decisions and habits. Then, we’ll explain how being fully engaged with what you’re doing generates a combination of neurochemicals that enhances your capabilities and motivates you to achieve your goals.

Neurochemicals Reward Peak Performance Habits

What are neurochemicals? In brief, your nervous system is made up of billions of neurons and neural pathways that transmit chemical information (neurochemicals) from one neuron to another. Kotler explains that these neurochemicals regulate your body and allow you to function. They also drive all of your decisions, behaviors, and habits by creating sensations that motivate you to move toward pleasure and away from pain.

(Shortform note: Research backs up Kotler’s argument that [neurochemicals...

The Art of Impossible Summary Phase #1: Cultivate Intrinsic Motivation

Kotler argues that you’re more likely to practice full engagement and cultivate peak performance habits if you feel intrinsically motivated to pursue your goals.

He explains that two types of motivation drive your decisions, behaviors, and habits:

• Extrinsic motivation: You do things to receive external rewards such as money, fame, or social validation.
• Intrinsic motivation: You do things to receive internal rewards such as feelings of interest, enjoyment, or happiness.

According to Kotler, intrinsically motivated goals generate more pleasurable neurochemicals than extrinsically motivated goals. This is because intrinsically motivated goals align with your interests and passions—you choose to pursue these goals and improve your capabilities because they inspire positive emotions and you genuinely enjoy working toward them.

Each time you work toward an intrinsically motivated goal, your feelings of enjoyment trigger a flood of reward neurochemicals (such as [restricted term] and serotonin) to enter your system and further increase your pleasure. As a result, you associate working toward your goals with pleasurable feelings—and this reinforces your motivation to...

The Art of Impossible Summary Phase #2: Define Your Strategy

Once you’ve completed the five steps to define your seemingly impossible goal, you’ll have created enough intrinsic motivation to work on the second phase of the process: defining a strategy to achieve your goal. Defining your strategy will give you a clear idea of what you need to do to get from where you are to where you want to be.

Kotler presents three steps to help you define your strategy.

Step #1: Break Your Seemingly Impossible Goal Down Into Challenging Tasks

The first step toward creating your strategy involves breaking your seemingly impossible goal down into achievable tasks. Kotler argues that this process helps you prioritize your time and focuses your attention on what you need to do to make progress.

• Break your life mission down into large, ambitious goals. Then, break these large goals into a series of challenging but achievable daily tasks. For example, your first daily task toward achieving your goal to set up a distribution network for agricultural solar technologies might be to define what resources you’ll need to move forward. Your second task might involve creating a plan to acquire these resources, and so on.

(Shortform note: Brendon...

The Art of Impossible Summary Phase #3: Adopt a Positive Attitude to Sustain Your Momentum

The third and final phase of the process to achieve seemingly impossible goals involves cultivating a positive attitude. Kotler argues that staying positive promotes a continual release of reward chemicals that alleviate stress and help you develop the resilience you need to overcome obstacles and sustain your momentum. Additionally, a positive state of mind expands your perspective, making it easier for you to notice and absorb new information. This new information inspires creative ideas and solutions to help you achieve your long-term goals.

Kotler recommends six methods to cultivate a positive mindset:

Method #1: Practice Mindfulness

Spend at least five minutes each day observing your thoughts without judging them. According to Kotler, this process increases awareness of your habitual thoughts and how they make you feel. This awareness makes it easier for you to identify, interrupt, and reframe the negative or unhelpful thoughts that prevent you from maintaining a positive state of mind.

(Shortform note: Mental health practitioners confirm that practicing mindfulness increases self-awareness, encourages positive thoughts about yourself, your circumstances,...

Shortform Exercise: Define Your Seemingly Impossible Goal

According to Kotler, you’re more likely to practice full engagement and achieve your seemingly impossible goal if you feel intrinsically motivated to achieve it. This exercise walks you through the process of choosing an appropriate goal.

Write down at least five things that you’re interested in learning more about. Be as specific as possible.