The people who are at the top of their fields have the same thing in common: They insist on precision and have an eye for the tiny, obscure details. That's because greatness is about the unrelenting pursuit of perfection.

Many high-performers adopt alter egos to summon confidence when they have to perform under extreme pressure.

Adopting an alter ego is an extreme form of “self-distancing,” a psychological tool that helps people reason more objectively and see the situation from a slight distance. 

Do you know who you are after running for 19 hours straight with no sleep? The most mentally resilient people do.

Ultra-marathoner Courtney Dauwalter has managed to stay calm even through bouts of severe nausea, a bleeding head injury, and temporary blindness. She talks about pain as an actual place: she visualizes herself entering "the pain cave." The reason it’s helpful to personify pain is that it serves as a reminder that you’re in control when you enter and equally as aware that you can leave.

The ability to bounce back after failure is what sets apart the great from the exceptional.

When you grow, you get better. And if you get better, you eventually win. That’s why most of our biggest successes often come after our most devastating failures.