The Score That Matters

Growing Excellence in Yourself and Those You Lead

By: Ryan Hawk, Brook Cupps

Narrated by: Ryan Hawk, Brook Cupps

USA Today Bestseller

An indispensable guide to redefining success and sustaining excellence based on who you are and what you value from the authors of The Pursuit of Excellence and Surrender the Outcome

People love to keep score. Managers keep score of a range of business metrics: market share, revenue, profit margin, growth rate. In our personal lives, social media has us keeping score by likes and followers.

These external scores are outcome-driven and serve as proof of our success—money, fame, material possessions, wins—but this constant chase for more validation often leaves us feeling exhausted and empty.

In The Score That Matters, Ryan Hawk and Brook Cupps show that the internal score is what matters most—it reveals whether we are living in alignment with our purpose and values. It also measures how we are leading ourselves and others, prompting us to:

• Differentiate between the two scoreboards that run our life
• Use our fear as fuel
• Avoid the poison of comparison
• Embrace the mundanity of excellence
• Regulate our emotional thermostat
• Create a mentality for attacking adversity

Offering both descriptive and prescriptive advice and anecdotes, The Score That Matters will help you discover and master the process that unlocks true fulfillment and happiness: discover your purpose, identify your values, create your critical behaviors and support these, and live them faithfully every day in all aspects of your life.

©2024 by Ryan Hawk and Brook Cupps, used with permission of BenBella Books, Inc. (P)2023 by Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Ryan Hawk, an accomplished host of a successful leadership podcast, is also a former Ohio high school athlete coached by Brook Cupps. They have joined forces to present this highly competitive team-sport-centered treatise on leading by establishing highly personal core values. Hawk's vocal enthusiasm makes him sound much like a cheerleader. Cupps is noticeably slower and a bit dour in comparison. Strangely, they make a pleasing audio performance combination. It would be helpful for listeners to be more than reasonably knowledgeable about basketball strategy, rules, and regulations in order to follow the authors' parallels to leadership off the court.”—AudioFile Magazine

“The Score That Matters is profoundly helpful, yet simple and accessible. And I really like the way Ryan and Brook use their different voices to make it compelling. This book is transformational.”—Patrick Lencioni, National Bestselling Author, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The Six Types of Working Genius

“In a world fixated on external accomplishments, Ryan Hawk and Brook Cupps remind us that the real score that matters is the one that aligns with our purpose and values, guiding us on a path to becoming better individuals and leaders. This book is a beacon of light in a world often overshadowed by superficial accomplishments, and I’m grateful for the wisdom it imparts.”—Buzz Williams, Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Texas A&M University

Motivating and Actionable!

Great listen made even greater by the authors as narrators. Their storytelling ability makes it easy to listen and understand the concepts as they weave stories with research. Each concept has practical applications to help you action the principles in your own leadership journey. So good I ended up buying a physical copy as well so I can return to the practical applications from time to time. Highly recommend if you’re looking to improve your leading skills whether for your work or your family!

The Score That Matters

This book gives a ton of opportunity for self-reflection.
Highly recommend if you want to be a better leader, spouse, parent, coach, educator and more. Well done Ryan and Brook. 🚀

Practical application of real life principles

The score that matters is well written and filled with nuggets of wisdom! Knowing what our core values are can change lives and make our lives richer! Awesome!