The Big Leap

A negative emotional reaction whenever something good happens is what Gay Hendricks calls the Upper Limit Problem. In his view, good news, a healthy relationship or a personal goal achieved is often followed not by contentment but by harmful thought patterns and destructive behavior, which block both happiness and progress. Hendricks worked closely with more than a thousand high achievers, ranging from Fortune 500 executives to rock stars in business and the arts, and their stories appear in the book. He traces the problem to four hidden fears and gives a method for spotting which one applies, then breaking through it toward what he calls a Zone of Genius.

Credo founder John Doherty, still undecided while reading it, described its aim as rethinking success and pushing past limits in business, finances or relationships, though he found it a bit too hedonistic for his taste.