Top performances are based on a combination of various elements—both invidual- and context-specific. The purpose is to analyze how the emergence of such positive states can be enhanced and led using a dissertation process as an example of a top performance. This study focused on the following research questions: (1) What are the individual-specific requirements for top performances?; (2) How does the top performance manifest itself?; and (3)What are the context-bound features of top performances? PhD-students (N = 25) who had either started their doctoral research or had already graduated as doctors in 2005-2008 participated in the research by writing narratives about their dissertation processes. The data were complemented with email conversations between the supervisor and the PhD-students. The presentation leans on our illustration of human resources as the basis of positive development. When a human being is able to get the most of his or her resources, he or she is likely to get positive feedback and recognition from others, succeed, and have increase in his or her self-appreciation. We claim that this kind of positive cycle lays the foundation to healthy development as it represents the true opportunity of self-fulfillment. Furthermore, we argue that this approach makes it easier to provide circumstances in which flow might occur – that is commonly regarded as the optimal experience of functioning at one’s limits. The conclusion is that love-based leadership in the supervision of doctoral theses might be the key element for providing positive experiences, initial excitement, and the enjoyment that is called the flow, leading to top performances at its best.