K. Anders Ericsson

K. Anders Ericsson was a cognitive psychologist from Sweden and author of “Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise.” He was obsessed with finding out how people mastered their crafts. As such, he ended up mastering his own craft of researching those experts.

He interviewed and studied the greats, including chess masters, Olympic athletes, world-class surgeons, and renowned musicians. With that work, he revealed that greatness is attainable to all. His research has been cited by many other important authors, such as Malcolm Gladwell, Angela Duckworth, and “Freakonomics” authors Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt.

Ericsson received his doctorate at the University of Stockholm before coming to the U.S. to study under Nobel Prize winner Herbert A. Simon at Carnegie-Mellon University. He passed away at his Florida home in 2020 at the age of 72. He left behind his wife, Natalie Sachs-Ericsson, and an enormous legacy in the field of psychology.