The Ultimate Performance-Enhancing Drug? Sleep

The Ultimate Performance-Enhancing Drug? Sleep
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 16: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 16, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 16: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 16, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The fundamental flaw at the heart of our misguided definition of success is the belief that overworking is the route to high performance and exceptional results. One easy way to see the folly of this belief is to look at the world of sports, where performance is objectively quantified and measurable. The sports world, the source of many metaphors in the business world -- "home run", "slam dunk", "dropping the ball", "heavy hitters", "step up to the plate" and so forth -- is, in fact, way ahead of the business world in its thinking about productivity and burnout.

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