Once an elite professional athlete himself, Auburn’s Brad Kearns is understandably fascinated by individuals who maintain a consistent level of excellence that keeps them at the top of their sport.

More than that, he wants to help others harness that excellence for themselves.

That explains why Kearns chose Tiger Woods as the subject for his latest book, “How Tiger Does It: Put the Success Formula into Everything You Do” (McGraw-Hill, $19.95).

“The pursuit of powerful, competitive athletic goals makes for compelling and dramatic life lessons,” said Kearns, a former pro triathlete who once was ranked No. 3 in the world in his sport.

“When professional athletes fail, they have to examine their frailties. When they succeed, they have to examine what led them to success.”

Kearns believes “professional athletes are models” that people can follow even in pursuing goals that are not sports-related. For that reason, he said, wanted to use a top pro athlete to illustrate principles that transcend sports and that people can use to overcome whatever obstacles might be keeping them from reaching their personal goals.

“How Tiger Does It” is the second Kearns has written about a high-profile athlete. His first, about cyclist-turned-marathoner and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, was the similarly titled “How Lance Does It.”

Kearns said Armstrong, whom he competed against in triathlons as a teen-ager and later got to spend time with while working as a sports marketer for a software company, has some key things in common with Woods.

“Contrary to popular opinion, they’re not just all about winning,” Kearns said. “They’re all about something deeper and more profound than just winning. They’re about personal excellence, passion for pursuing their goals and doing their best regardless of the result.”

Unlike Armstrong, however, Kearns never got to interview Woods for his book.

“It’s kind of impossible, really,” Kearns said. “Somebody once related a story to me that he only gave a reporter from Sports Illustrated 10 minutes, and that was for a cover story for one of the most widely read magazines in the world.”

Still, Kearns said he didn’t need to talk to Woods directly.

“Plenty of biographies have been written about Tiger,” Kearns said. “I think about 30 books have been written about him. I didn’t need to tell his story again.

“This book is more about what I see behind his success. I wanted to write a self-help book about his attitudes and qualities and how they helped him toward achieving his own goals.”

In the book, Kearns identifies three main qualities that have helped Woods achieve an unheard-of level of peak performance as a professional golfer:

n Focus. “Tiger is the greatest example of an athlete who can focus on the moment,” Kearns said. “Instead of worrying about how much money he’s going to make or where he stands in the field, his focus is on making his next shot perfectly.

“When we let our minds wander to expectations of a certain result, we want to win so badly (that) we choke under pressure. We’re letting so many other things pop into our heads.”

n Work-play ethic. “When work feels like work instead of fun, it can lead to setbacks and negativity,” Kearns said. “When it’s fun, win or lose, learn from it and get better. You’ve got to find something to do that you love.”

n Balance. “When you’re not balanced and performance and goals take on too much meaning and attach to your self-esteem, you’re going to be vulnerable to pressure, anxiety and choking,” Kearns said.

“People who are devastated when they suffer setbacks are those who are going to struggle because it means everything to them — they don’t have balance. It’s hard for them to get back on the horse again. They’ll freeze under pressure or not give it their best because they’re afraid to fail again.”

Kearns has written three books total and is currently working on a fourth. He is also writing for Lance Armstrong’s Web site, livestrong.com, overseeing the local children’s fitness charity Running School and helping to co-ordinate next month’s Auburn Triathlon.

“How Tiger Does It” can be purchased through Kearns’ Web site, bradventures.com.