The Winner Effect: The Neuroscience of Success and Failure - Tapa dura

"A book that will help you understand what makes winners, and what paths to avoid when you get power." --MindYourDecisions.com

"Fascinating." --The Sunday Times (UK)

"Compelling stories combine with cutting-edge science to show why coming first is not the same as being a real winner -- engrossing." --Oliver James, author of They F*** You Up

"Like a masterful detective, Dr. Robertson provides a captivating and insightful journey into understanding the mystery of the effects of power on human behavior and thinking." --Mike Hawkins, award-winning author of Activating Your Ambition: A Guide to Coaching the Best Out of Yourself and Others

"He tells a compelling, vivid and instructive story of how we are empowered and how we are disempowered and how we succeed and how we fail. I really enjoyed it -- it is a must read." --Raymond Tallis, author of Aping Mankind

"A fascinating topic dealt with in a fascinating way. ... I love the book." --Matt Cooper, author of How Ireland Really Went Bust

"What does it take to be a winner; to be successful and achieve at an optimal level? Professor Robertson has masterfully synthesized cutting edge social, cognitive, and developmental psychology, as well as neuroscience with fascinating stories of notable people in the public eye to answer this question. Thoroughly researched and engagingly written by an international scholar, once you begin reading this book it will be difficult to put down. Whatever your profession, this remarkable book will most assuredly resonate with you." --John B. Arden, PhD, author of Rewire Your Brain

"Utterly fascinating." --Publishers Weekly

What makes a winner? Why do some people succeed both in life and in business, and others fail? Why do a few individuals end up supremely powerful, while many remain powerless?

The "winner effect" is a term used in biology to describe how an animal that has won a few fights against weak opponents is much more likely to win later bouts against stronger contenders. As Ian Robertson reveals, it applies to humans, too. Success changes the chemistry of the brain, making you more focused, smarter, more confident, and more aggressive. The effect is as strong as any drug. And the more you win, the more you will go on to win. But the downside is that winning can become physically addictive.

By understanding what the mental and physical changes are that take place in the brain of a "winner," how they happen, and why they affect some people more than others, Robertson answers the question of why some people attain and then handle success better than others. He explains what makes a winner—or a loser—and how we can use the answers to these questions to understand better the behavior of our business colleagues, family, friends, and ourselves.