59 Seconds: Change Your Life in Under a Minute
Richard Wiseman
Mylett argues that you are usually closer to the life you want than it feels. He shows how identity, focus, persistence, time, emotions and the people around you decide whether you take one more step.

1 min 00 sec
If you feel stuck, it is tempting to think the way out must be huge: a new job, a new city, a whole new you. In The Power of One More, entrepreneur and performance coach Ed Mylett makes the opposite case. He argues that people are usually closer to the life they want than they realize, and that the gap is often a single extra call, workout, meeting or decision.
Mylett says the idea grew over three decades, starting on a college baseball field where he added the lap or the round of batting practice that others skipped. His throughline is simple. Small additions decide outcomes, but only if your identity, your focus, your time, your feelings and the people around you let you make them. Each lever below comes with a story and a move to try, so that by the end you can spot the next one more in your own week and keep finding them.
1 min 39 sec
A raise, a lucky year or a burst of motivation often fades within months, and people end up exactly where they started. Mylett traces the pull back to a hidden setting most of us never think to change.
1 min 34 sec
Mylett thought a certain car was rare until something changed, and then he saw it on every road. The roads were the same. What shifted explains why some people find opportunities everywhere and others find only problems.
1 min 39 sec
Children at a birthday party hit a piñata again and again with nothing to show for it, and some give up in tears. They are wrong about what is happening, and so are most adults with stalled projects.
1 min 48 sec
Everyone gets 24 hours, yet Mylett claims he lives 21 days a week. His trick sounds like a slogan until you try it, and it changes how urgent a single morning feels.
1 min 41 sec
Some people always seem to land in a crisis, week after week. Mylett admits he was one of them, and his explanation suggests the crisis was less bad luck than an emotional habit.
1 min 32 sec
Spend enough evenings with people who expect little and your own ambitions start to cool. Mylett explains what happens to a person’s inner setting in a warmer room, and why he calls himself team-made.
1 min 33 sec
A coach won a championship despite catching Covid-19 mid-season, and Tom Brady said his favorite Super Bowl ring was the next one. Both point to a rule that matters more than any target you write down.
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Mylett closes the book with his father. For the first fifteen years of Ed’s life, his father struggled with alcohol. Then Ed’s mother gave him an ultimatum, and he stayed sober for the thirty-five years he had left. One decision, renewed every day, changed a family. Watching his father die, Mylett realized that everyone eventually meets a one last one more, a final day and a final breath. We cannot control that ending. We can only shape the story before it.
That is the real claim underneath the slogans. The distance between where you are and where you want to be is shorter than it feels, and it is crossed in small extras, not leaps. The thermostat, the Tesla, the piñata and the mini-day all exist to make the next extra easier to take.
Start where it costs least. Keep one promise to yourself tomorrow and add a minute to it. Ask what you can control when the next problem arrives. Before you stop work tonight, make one more call. The story before the last one more is still being written.
Many people who feel stuck assume the way out must be dramatic: a new career, a new city, a new personality. Ed Mylett disagrees. He argues that most of us are nearer to our ideal life than we think, and that a single extra call, workout, relationship or decision often stands between us and it. The idea began on a college baseball field, where Mylett found he could outwork others by adding one more lap or one more round of practice. Over three decades as an entrepreneur and coach to athletes and executives, he turned that habit into a philosophy. The book explains why people slide back to old levels, using his image of an inner thermostat, and how to retrain what the mind notices. It also offers a system of five time principles, a way to use fear instead of fighting it and a case for choosing your inner circle with care. Readers get a set of small, repeatable moves, from keeping a promise and adding a minute to splitting the day into three mini-days, along with stories from Nick Saban, Tom Brady and Mylett's own family.
Young professionals and salespeople who feel close to a breakthrough but keep stalling.
Founders and managers who want simple daily standards for themselves and their teams.
Readers new to self-improvement who want an energetic, story-driven starting point.
Ed Mylett studied at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where he was a three-time academic All-American until an injury ended his major league hopes. He then worked as a counselor for disadvantaged children before building ventures in tech, real estate, medicine and food. In 2022 Success Magazine named him to its SUCCESS 125 list of influential leaders. He hosts the weekly podcast The Ed Mylett Show and the television show Change with Ed Mylett.
Listeners describe this work as an essential guide that is straightforward to follow and easy to implement. The chapters are loaded with insightful wisdom applicable to every life stage, acting as an influential manual for finding fulfillment and prosperity. Also, listeners value the uncomplicated yet effective techniques included, with one listener highlighting how the book introduces alternative thought patterns.
Picked this up after seeing Ed Mylett on social media, and honestly, the timing couldn't have been better. The central premise sounds incredibly simple—just doing 'one more' than required—but the way he applies it to self-identity and legacy hits differently. Every chapter serves as a practical guide to happiness by challenging your current standards and pushing you toward an extra rep or phone call. Truth is, most of us are just one major decision away from a completely different life, and this book maps that out clearly. I loved the gems regarding how we view our time, especially the concept of shortening your days to create more urgency. It’s a powerful read if you're feeling stuck or complacent in your career.
Show moreEver wonder why some people seem to skyrocket while others just plateau? Ed Mylett argues that the difference is usually found in the smallest increments of effort. This isn't just a motivational speech in print; it's a strategic guide for retooling your brain to seek out that extra bit of focus. I was particularly struck by the concept of One More Habit, where he breaks down how shifting our daily routines creates a ripple effect in our confidence. The strategies provided are simple enough to implement immediately, making it a must-read for anyone who feels like they are on the verge of a breakthrough but can't quite get there. It teaches a different way of thinking that is both empowering and demanding.
Show moreThis book acts like a catalyst for anyone ready to stop playing small in their own life. Ed Mylett’s One More philosophy isn't just about working harder; it's about being more intentional with the moments that matter most. I found the section on One More Identity particularly profound because it addresses the root cause of why we fail to keep the agreements we make with ourselves. The book is full of gems that apply to business, parenting, and fitness alike. It’s a powerful manual for anyone looking to find their best life by doing just a little bit more than what is expected. After finishing it, I felt equipped with a new set of strategies to tackle my goals.
Show moreAfter hearing Mylett speak, I knew I had to grab a copy of this, and it did not disappoint. The way he breaks down time management into shorter, more intense segments completely changed how I structure my workdays. It creates a sense of urgency that helps you become addicted to the results rather than the convenience of a traditional schedule. Frankly, the book is a masterclass in shifting your mindset from a place of trying to a place of executing. It’s an easy read that manages to be both inspiring and incredibly practical at the same time. If you want to become a leader in your own life, you need to master the one more mentality described here.
Show moreFinally got around to reading this because I’ve been a long-time listener of his podcast. While the book leans heavily on classic productivity tropes from the early 2010s, it manages to feel fresh through Ed's raw, personal storytelling. He emphasizes the importance of guarding your thoughts and raising your internal standards, which are foundational principles for anyone looking to scale their business. Frankly, some sections felt a bit repetitive, and the religious references might not be for everyone, but the core strategy is undeniably effective. My favorite takeaway was his idea of writing letters to the families of employees to acknowledge their hard work. It's those small, intentional actions that separate decent leaders from truly great ones.
Show moreAs someone who devours self-help, I appreciated how this book distills thirty years of wisdom into actionable steps. The writing style is punchy and direct, which keeps you engaged even when the concepts start to feel a little familiar. I'll admit, I didn't relate to every single personal vignette, especially the sports-heavy anecdotes, but the logic behind 'one more try' is hard to argue with. The book excels when it talks about raising your self-worth and refusing to accept a life of mere convenience. Not gonna lie, some parts felt a bit guru-esque, but if you look past the polish, there are genuine nuggets of wisdom regarding time management and goal setting. It’s a strong addition to any professional’s library.
Show moreThe core philosophy here is about the willingness to do what others won't—one more rep, one more call, one more hour. Ed’s focus on Equanimity was a highlight for me, as it’s a topic often ignored in these types of high-performance books. He balances the drive for results with the need to maintain your internal peace, which I found surprisingly refreshing. While it’s true that the 'one more' theme is forced into every single chapter title, the practical exercises for eliminating self-doubt are worth the price of admission alone. It’s a very masculine, high-octane read that might be a bit much for some, but it certainly provides a jolt of motivation to get moving.
Show moreNot what I expected from a celebrity entrepreneur, but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the chapter on One More Dream. Mylett pushes the reader to operate out of their future possibilities rather than their past history. This shift in perspective is crucial for anyone trying to break free from self-limiting beliefs or old habits that no longer serve them. Personally, I think the book could have been fifty pages shorter without losing any of its power, as the repetition does become noticeable. Still, the emphasis on being hyper-focused on the right things is a great lesson for our distracted age. It’s a very practical guide to finding success through incremental, intentional growth.
Show moreTo be fair, Mylett’s energy is infectious, but this book often felt like a series of blog posts stretched into a full-length manuscript. The 'one more' mantra is repeated so frequently that it loses its impact by the middle of the book. I found many of the sports metaphors to be a bit generic and the overall tone can be quite aggressive for those not already in the hustle culture mindset. If you’ve read Tony Robbins or Darren Hardy, you won’t find anything particularly groundbreaking here. That being said, the chapter on One More Identity provides a decent framework for understanding why we often self-sabotage when we reach a certain level of success. It’s a solid reminder book, just not a revolutionary one.
Show moreLook, the advice in this book is perfectly fine, but it really feels like a remix of The Compound Effect. Mylett uses a lot of generic stories and quotes to fill space, making the reading experience feel a bit banal at times. I struggled with the constant religious allusions and the creationist perspective, which felt out of place in a modern business book. If this is your first foray into personal development, you will likely find it life-changing and powerful. However, for those of us who have read the classics, it’s mostly just a collection of reminders about persistence and discipline. It’s decent for what it is, but don’t expect a brand-new philosophy of life.
Show moreEd Mylett argues that people are usually nearer to their ideal life than they think, and that one more call, rep, relationship or decision often closes the gap. He says most people wrongly believe change requires a thousand moves. The book covers the levers that decide whether you take that extra step: identity, focus, persistence, time management, emotions, associations and personal standards.
Mylett compares identity to a thermostat. People slide back to the level that matches what they believe they are worth, so someone set at 75 degrees of wealth cannot hold 100 for long. The setting can be raised by changing repeated thoughts, by keeping promises to yourself and adding one more, and by spending time with people whose settings run higher.
He uses five principles. He splits the day into three mini-days, from 6 in the morning to noon, noon to 6 in the evening and 6 in the evening to midnight, which he says gives him 21 days a week. He works with a joyful urgency, guards the first 30 minutes after waking from screens, measures performance often and focuses on the future instead of the past.
It depends on what you need. One critical reviewer rated it 2 out of 5 stars, saying it leans more on rhetoric and personal stories than on actionable strategies and feels familiar to readers of the genre; that reviewer sees it as an entry-level motivational read. Readers who want energy, memorable images and simple rules like adding one minute to a planned workout may find it useful.
Richard Wiseman
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Andrew D. Thompson
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Get the key ideas from The Power of One More by Ed Mylett, plus 5,000+ more nonfiction titles.
