You can be in the best physical shape of your life, but if you’re not prepared mentally, you won’t perform to the best of your ability. To help shape up your mind and get motivated for your next game, check out this book of the week selection.

The Edge: The Guide to Fulfilling Dreams, Maximizing Success and Enjoying a Lifetime of Achievement is an excellent resource for athletes who need to get in the zone for competition. Author Howard E. Ferguson has compiled hundreds of quotations from more than 750 of the world’s most successful competitors, among them Muhammad Ali, Joe DiMaggio, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Lou Holtz, Larry Bird and Paul Brown. All offer advice on how to get in the right frame of mind for a contest. Chapters are organized by theme, including preparation, dealing with losing, achieving goals and sportsmanship. Basically, any type of mental training an athlete needs can be found in this book.

The author understands the value of mental training. A hall of fame wrestling coach at St. Edwards High School (Lakewood, Ohio), he won 10 consecutive state championships (1978-87). The key to his athletes’ success, he asserts, was their mental preparation. Ferguson constantly preached how to stay focused and staying in the right state of mind, both on and off the mat.

STACK’s Take: A book every athlete of any sport should own. Perfect for when you need to get ready for action. Reading the quotes from legendary athletes is like having a motivational coach by your side.