Dark Horse - by Todd Rose & Ogi Ogas (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For generations, we've been stuck with a cookie-cutter mold for success that requires us to be the same as everyone else, only better. This "standard formula" works for some people but leaves most of us feeling disengaged and frustrated. As much as we might dislike the standard formula, it seems like there's no other practical path to financial security and a fulfilling life. But what if there is?

In the Dark Horse Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, bestselling author and acclaimed thought leader Todd Rose and neuroscientist Ogi Ogas studied women and men who achieved impressive success even though nobody saw them coming. Dark horses blaze their own trail to a life of happiness and prosperity. Yet what is so remarkable is that hidden inside their seemingly one-of-a-kind journeys are practical principles for achieving success that work for anyone, no matter who you are or what you hope to achieve. This mold-breaking approach doesn't depend on you SAT scores, who you know, or how much money you have. The secret is a mindset that can be expressed in plain English: Harness your individuality in the pursuit of fulfillment to achieve excellence.

In Dark Horse, Rose and Ogas show how the four elements of the dark horse mindset empower you to consistently make the right choices that fit your unique interests, abilities, and circumstances and will guide you to a life of passion, purpose, and achievement.

Review Quotes

"[Rose's] personal experiences are recounted hearteningly in his book. That alone makes it a worthwhile read for the aspiring nonconformist." - The Guardian
Praise for The End of Average:
"[S]ubversive and readable. . . . What has been called the new science of the individual." - New York Times
"Rose will change the way you see culture, school, work and everyone around you. Taylorism is officially dead. With compelling stories and an engaging style, he transforms our understanding of who we are and what's important." - Seth Godin, author of We Are All Weird and Stop Stealing Dreams
"Todd Rose shows that everything we think we know about 'average' performance is wrong. In fact, our one-dimensional understanding of achievement-our search for the average score, average grade, average talent-has seriously underestimated human potential. This book is readable, enlightening, and way above average." - Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell Is Human and Drive
"Todd Rose's thought-provoking book challenges the explanatory power of the everyday term 'average, ' opening our minds to new ways of conceptualizing human variation and human potentials." - Howard Gardner, author of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness Reframed
"Dark Horse establishes an entirely new category of book about thriving and human potential that shatters our conventional notion of what success is and how to attain it. Drawing upon refreshingly down-to-earth stories of everyday excellence, audacious visionary Todd Rose and neuroscientist Ogi Ogas show how truly honoring authentic self - who you really are -- is the secret to extraordinary fulfillment. They have written an exhilarating guide to your very best life that will transform the way you see the world." - AMY CUDDY, Social psychologist, bestselling author, and expert on the behavioral science of power, presence, and prejudice
"...shatters our conventional notion of what success is and how to attain it." - AMY CUDDY, Social psychologist, bestselling author, and expert on the behavioral science of power, presence, and prejudice
"Good grades? Optional. Formal training? Meh. This book is a compelling celebration of people who reject the conventional paths to success, achieve it anyway, and find fulfillment along the way." - ADAM GRANT, New York Times bestselling author of Originals, Give and Take, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg
"...why individuality leads to fulfillment--and, in turn, why fulfillment leads to excellence. Whether you're already a dark horse or are contemplating breaking from the herd, this book can be your road map for success." - DAN PINK, New York Times bestselling author of When and Drive
“Dark Horse is an ambitious, original work that proposes an entirely new frame for personal and professional development. Thanks to a wondrous cast of characters, it is also a rollicking work of storytelling. Few books have resonated so deeply with me.” - DAVID EPSTEIN New York Times bestselling author of The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance