Grover feels that Cleaners are always “clutch,” or dependable, and that this is the result of their preparation meeting the right opportunity. While Closers can make definitive moves when absolutely necessary, Cleaners always have that drive and intensity. While Closers might look like heroes in their last-ditch efforts, Cleaners put in the work all the time. This is largely due to Cleaners’ ability to seek pressure and allow it to fuel them. Grover points to Michael Jordan’s trash-talking habit, claiming that it was a way of heaping pressure on himself to live up to his own boasting. Rather than imagining stress as a negative, Grover tells the reader to reframe it as something that brings them “to life.” People can manage their stress by putting in the necessary work and preparation and staying organized. That way, their stress will be focused on achieving great things instead of dealing with chaotic situations. Cleaners feel more internal than external pressure.

Grover’s discussion of stress adopts what he tends to dismiss—positive thinking—by telling the reader to reframe stress as a positive force for their ambitions. He writes, “Pressure can bust pipes, but it can also make diamonds. If you take the negative view, it will crush you; now you’re in an ‘I can’t do this’ frame of mind. But the positive view is that pressure is a challenge that will define you…” (98). By arguing that pressure is only negative if people conceive of it that way, Grover reflects a trend in personal development toward reevaluating the value of so-called “negative” emotions and experiences. For instance, Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way (2014) draws on Stoic philosophy to similarly argue that challenges should be approached as opportunities for growth.

Chapter Lessons

• Stress can strengthen or weaken you, depending on your view of it.
• Shut out external pressure and ramp up self-imposed pressure.
• Avoid the stress of irresponsibility and embrace the stress of big goals.

Reflection Questions

• Which aspect of your life do you find the most stressful? How could you reframe the pressure you feel?
• Is your stress largely external or internal? How could you minimize external pressure while developing healthy high standards for yourself?
• Do you agree with Grover’s philosophy of stress? Why or why not?