Sticking Your Neck Out: Discover the Top Ways to Reach Your Peak Performance
In her new book: When Turtles Fly: Secrets of Successful People Who Know How to Stick Their Necks Out, Nikki Stone, motivational speaker and aerial skiing Olympic gold medalist, shares the techniques she used to overcome a debilitating injury to achieve the gold, helping readers realize and reach their own personal and professional goals. She is a motivational speaker for Fortune 500 companies and has seen what makes an individual most successful in the boardroom and on the slopes.
Over the last five years, she researched the similarities of 40 different highly-successful individuals — including the Prince Albert of Monaco, Dr. Stephen Covey, Shaun White medal-winning snowboarder, Steve Young and many more. And no matter the field or endeavor, she found that ”The Turtle Effect philosophy” was at the core of everyone’s success.
Taught to her by her mother, Stone describes “The Turtle Effect” as including these elements:
Have a Soft Inside — let your heart drive your actions — This includes the great advice of: Do the things you hate first so you can truly get pleasure from the parts of your job and day that you are most passionate about. First thing in the morning write down five things you don’t like to do. Do each before 11:00 a.m., and check off that you’ve done them. Doing the thing you hate most will allow you to spend the rest of the day or week focusing on the things you enjoy the most.
Develop Your Hard Shell — stay strong against life’s challenges. This includes:
- Enhance Your Focus
- Be Committed
- Overcoming Adversities (Ask yourself, “If I knew I couldn’t fail, what would I try?” After you answer this question, ask yourself why it would be so awful to fail at the task or activity. We learn much more from our failures than we learn from our accomplishments.)
Be Willing to Stick Your Neck Out –
- Build Your Confidence
- Start Taking Risks &
- Find Your Teamwork
Applying this philosophy, she finds that “the same factors work to put someone at the top of their game, whether you are a triumphant athlete, Fortune 500 CEO, an accomplished politician, successful educator, or even an effective parent.” Here’s to your turtle-like successes!
And check out her book or the website: Click here





































February 4th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Christine, thanks for sharing this advice. I am in the middle of changing jobs and needed to read this!!! Thanks.
February 5th, 2010 at 1:24 am
I have genuinely been helped because of the awesome tactics in this article, many thanks
February 5th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
You are welcome! And thanks for reading our blog ~ Christine
February 5th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Hey Desiree – I’m glad it was helpful! – – It’s all from the book & compliments of Nikki Stone – I can’t wait to read it in it’s entirety now, as I am starting a new role soon, too ~ Christine