Unlearn: Let Go of Past Success to Achieve Extraordinary Results

IntroductionThe Remarkable Power of Unlearning

If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.—Maya Angelou

At the beginning of the 2010 season, tennis superstar Serena Williams was at the pinnacle of her sport. She was the number-1 ranked woman tennis player in the world. However, while dining at a Munich restaurant, Serena accidently stepped on some broken glass. The next day, and 18 stitches later, she played in an exhibition match but was forced to the sidelines for the rest of the season. She finished the year ranked number 4 on the women’s professional tennis circuit.

After sitting out the first half of 2011 as she recovered from the foot injury (along with a pulmonary embolism and hematoma), Serena went ...