The Golden Rules

10 Steps to World-Class Excellence in Your Life and Work

By: Bob Bowman, Charles Butler

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Bob Bowman, best known as the coach for the record-breaking run of Michael Phelps, is one of the most successful coaches in Olympic history. He is lauded for his intense personality, his incredible dedication to his athletes, and his ability to nurture talent in athletes who have the heart and drive to win.

This is his motivational book about winning in all walks of life and what you have to do to get there. He presents 10 key concepts that all people should live by. Illuminating his lessons with spirited anecdotes, Bowman will teach you how to get gold out of every day by setting goals and getting motivated to achieve them. He will explain that taking risks is the key to success in any pursuit and coach you on how you can make yourself risk-averse.

By following The Golden Rules, you will learn to visualize in order to achieve your goals and that, above all else, dedication to your training, your job, or whatever area it is you are seeking to triumph in is paramount for success.

©2016 RAB Enterprises, LLC (P)2016 Tantor

First audiobook

The readers voice was soothing and consistent. I liked how it was monotoned like some of the other books I previewed. The books itself is a great listen/read. I don’t know anything about swimming but it didn’t matter because the message was clear. The swimming examples helped with imagery and proof of what Bowman was saying. 10/10 would recommend this audiobook!

narration

While the content is interesting, though hardly groundbreaking, the narration is HORRIFIC. Bob Bowman sounds NOTHING like that presented by the narrator. In fact, NOBODY sounds remotely like that voiced by Peter Berkrot. There is considerable variation in Southern accents, and it is not unreasonable to expect a professional narrator to master at least one. Instead, Berkrot invented an ear grating, cartoonishly exaggerated version of a Southern twang and drawl. He is not the first Audible narrator to use an accent not found in reality. The presentation was so obnoxious that I abandoned efforts at listening after one chapter.

Interesting

I learned a few valuable nuggets to add to my intellectual archive. The fact that Bowman coached at Michigan deserves my stamp of approval.

Great content in spite of poor narration.

The competitive drive and detailed pursuit of perfection is laced throughout the book. Having heard Bob speak, the narrator and his inflections while reading was very annoying (“veesion” instead of “vision”). My son, who swims for Bob very much agrees with this assessment of narration. I wish Bob would have narrated himself or that a different narrator would have done the book. Difficult to overcome the narrator at first but the content was great.

Great book, quick listen

This book is so much better than what the title suggests. I did not want to stop listening. Loved the stories about Michael Phelps . Bowman telling MP family to start planning and preparing for the future because MP, at 11 y.o was going be an Olympic champion was going to do things that no other swimmer can do . Inspiring story. By following his rules, he shows the rest of us how to succeed in our goals. Great examples and explanations.

Great book and great message

Loved it! I am a swim coach as well and I have much the same vision as Bob Bowman. This book has helped reinvigorate my vision. Thank you Bob for putting this book out there for coaches like me.

Totally worth it!

I loved it, as a "retired "professional 🏐 athlete I could see myself in some situations and for sure will help from now on to figure out my next steps. What a great book! Thank you for all involved on it.

great listen and wonderful insight

Bob talks about the rules or system one can follow to pursue excellence in whatever field one wish to pursue . This is a great inside look into the making of world champion and how to have champion mindset.

terrible fake Southern accent

The book itself is great. The narrator's attempt at a Southern accent however is horrible. For example, he pronounces 'pecan' "pee-can."

Rules to get ahead.

these rules, if applied correctly, can surely be used to advance your goals and your career. it's very evident that they work.