Grand Central Publishing Group Acquires Jim Murphy’s# 1 New York Times Bestseller INNER EXCELLENCE
Deal includes Takeover of INNER EXCELLENCE, Additional Self-Published Title, and New Inner Excellence Companion Workbook
New York, NY (March 6, 2025) — Ben Sevier, President & Publisher of Grand Central Publishing Group, announced today the acquisition and takeover of INNER EXCELLENCE, the bestselling self-published phenomenon by acclaimed performance coach Jim Murphy. Sevier and Grand Central’s Editorial Director, Non-Fiction, Brant Rumble acquired the North American rights to the book – plus a new companion workbook – at auction from Pilar Queen and Peter Steinberg at UTA. Grand Central will publish in ebook and audio editions on March 11, 2025 and a trade paperback edition on April 29, 2025; the companion workbook will be published in early 2026.
The deal also includes the acquisition and takeover by Sevier and Hachette Nashville’s VP, Publisher Daisy Hutton of Murphy’s self-published THE BEST POSSIBLE LIFE. Hachette Nashville will publish in trade paperback, audio and ebook editions on September 30, 2025.
Hachette UK’s Orion Ignite and Hodder Faith acquired the UK rights at auction to all 3 titles.
When TV cameras caught Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown reading Jim Murphy’s INNER EXCELLENCE on the sidelines during a playoff game on January 12, it sparked a phenomenon that propelled the book to the # 1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list, where it remains in the top 4 bestselling titles. Interview and speaking engagement requests flooded into Murphy’s inbox, and his social media following quadrupled. And over 200,000 copies (and counting) of his self-published edition – as well as tens of thousands more in ebook and audio editions – were sold in the following three weeks. Grand Central will print 450,000 copies of their April 2025 trade paperback edition of INNER EXCELLENCE for distribution across all major retailers to meet the incredible demand from readers for the book.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response to INNER EXCELLENCE and for the impact it’s had on so many lives around the world,” says Jim Murphy. “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Grand Central Publishing to bring INNER EXCELLENCE and THE BEST POSSIBLE LIFE to even more readers. My mission has always been to help people unlock their full potential- not just in performance, but in life – and I’m excited to continue that journey.”
Sevier said, “All of us at Grand Central Publishing are so inspired by Jim Murphy’s message and his life mission. It’s an incredible privilege to work with Jim, and we are energized and excited to expand access to Jim’s revolutionary philosophy and help the widest possible audience pursue their own inner excellence.”
Based on the powerful principles of love, wisdom, and courage, INNER EXCELLENCE is the life guide that will train you – whether you are an athlete or not – to lead with the heart and live a life devoid of fear, one where you feel truly alive, unlocking peak performance as a byproduct of transforming your mindset.
As a professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization, Jim Murphy’s sense of worth revolved around results. He was focused on achievement but also afraid of failure. When he started coaching professional and Olympic athletes, he often encountered the same mindset. He became obsessed with learning how the best in the world performed with poise under pressure. After years of research, Murphy had a revelatory insight: the pursuit of extraordinary performance and the pursuit of the best possible life are the same path. Filled with exercises, techniques, and tools that will improve every area of your life, INNER EXCELLENCE trains your heart and mind for extraordinary performance and the best possible life.
INNER EXCELLENCE: WORKBOOK – the companion to INNER EXCELLENCE – offers a practical path for readers to track and sustain their own success.
THE BEST POSSIBLE LIFE was self-published in November 2024. Written as a deeply personal follow-up to INNER EXCELLENCE, the book shares Murphy’s own story of transformation and invites readers to participate in the journey to living the life they were created for – a life grounded in connectedness, purpose, and meaning.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Murphy is a Performance Coach to some of the best athletes and leaders in the world. In addition to coaching, Murphy leads Inner Excellence offsite retreats around the globe, and he is the president of the Inner Excellence Freedom Project whose mission is to build communities to alleviate spiritual and physical poverty around the world.
Jim Murphy is represented by UTA.
About Grand Central Publishing Group
Grand Central Publishing Group reaches a diverse audience through books that cater to every kind of reader. Our divisions include Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Nashville, and Union Square & Co.
About Hachette Book Group
Hachette Book Group (HBG) is a leading US general-interest book publisher made up of dozens of esteemed imprints within the publishing groups Basic Books Group; Grand Central Publishing Group; Hachette Audio; Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Orbit; and Workman Running Press Group. We also provide custom distribution, fulfillment, and sales services to other publishing companies. Our books and authors have received the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, Booker Prize, Nobel Peace Prize and other major honors. We are committed to diversity in our company and our publishing programs, and to fostering a culture of inclusion for all our employees and authors. We are proud to be part of Hachette Livre, the world’s third-largest trade and educational publisher. Visit hachettebookgroup.com to learn more about HBG imprints. For updated news follow HBG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Threads, X.com, and YouTube.
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Matthew Ballast, VP, Executive Director of Publicity 212-364-1237, matthew.ballast@hbgusa.com
Megan Perritt-Jacobson, Director of Publicity, Non-Fiction, 212-364-1259, megan.perritt-jacobson@hbgusa.com