Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success

by Brad Stulberg

In one study, researchers from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania found that hospital janitors who cleaned bedpans and mopped floors performed better and reported higher levels of satisfaction when their job was framed as being integral to the healing of other people. The janitors were constantly reminded that by keeping the hospital clean, they were minimizing the chance of bacteria spreading and harming the already vulnerable patients. They no longer saw their job as just removing vomit from the floors; they saw it as saving lives. Some hospitals have even eliminated the job titles “janitor” and “custodian” in favor of titles like “health and safety team member” or “environmental health worker.” Other research shows that college students working as phone solicitors asking alumni for donations improved their performance after a recent graduate spoke to them about how grateful he was for their work. This wasn’t just any graduate student, though; he had attended the university on scholarship dollars raised via the solicitation efforts of the students. In the month following this meeting, the student solicitors raised 171 percent more money. These are just two of many examples that show how linking one’s work to a greater purpose enhances everyday performance, even on mundane tasks. Just ask yourself: Are you more likely to give something your all if you know doing so will benefit someone else or a greater cause? For almost every great performer we asked, t...