Bold

How to Go Big, Make Bank, and Better the World

By: Peter H. Diamandis, Steven Kotler

Narrated by: Steven Kotler

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

Bold is a radical, how-to guide for using exponential technologies, moonshot thinking, and crowd-powered tools to create extraordinary wealth while also positively impacting the lives of billions.

Exploring the exponential technologies that are disrupting today's Fortune 500 companies and enabling upstart entrepreneurs to go from "I've got an idea" to "I run a billion-dollar company" far faster than ever before, the authors provide exceptional insight into the power of 3-D printing, artificial intelligence, robotics, networks and sensors, and synthetic biology. Drawing on insights from billionaire entrepreneurs Larry Page, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos, the audiobook offers the best practices that allow anyone to leverage today's hyper connected crowd like never before. The authors teach how to design and use incentive competitions, launch million-dollar crowdfunding campaigns to tap into tens of billions of dollars of capital, and build communities - armies of exponentially enabled individuals willing and able to help today's entrepreneurs make their boldest dreams come true.

Bold is both a manifesto and a manual. It is today's exponential entrepreneur's go-to resource on the use of emerging technologies, thinking at scale, and the awesome impact of crowd-powered tools.

©2015 PHD Ventures (P)2015 Simon and Schuster

Critic Reviews

" Bold is a visionary roadmap for people who believe they can change the world - and offers invaluable advice about bringing together the partners and technologies to help them do it." (President Bill Clinton)

Great content, mediocre narration.

This book covers exponential technologies and how to leverage them. Use of incentive prices and crowd funding pay a major role.

It's unfortunate that it's narrated by one of the authors, who has a great voice but fails to enunciate many words properly and often stops mid-sentence and thereby breaking the flow.

Great book, horrific narration

Inspiring literature presented in a severely ghastly manner. Rarely have I spent this many hours in the company of a man that obviously doesn't really want to talk to me... Great book, though; Kotler should stick to writing!

Great book

I no longer feel so alone in the World. Not many people I currently know have the attention span or comprehension to discuss topics in this book. When I try, the ideas get shot down and labelled "extreme". To everyone involved with this book, thank you for existing.

The Best Book for Exponential Entrepreneurs

Would you listen to Bold again? Why?

I have listened to it three times already. I usually alternate listening to the best books I've read to new ones by thought leaders. "Bold" not only makes bold claims, but supports these claims with real world examples and the best assortment of practical DIY implementation tips that will help anybody turn a crazy idea into an amazing breakthrough.
Every entrepreneur who wishes to succeed should strive to make "Bold" part of their DNA.

What other book might you compare Bold to and why?

I have not read or listened to one work that so completely and accurately describes the new rules for innovation in business. The closest would be a combination of "Start with Why", "Scrum", "Scaling Up", "Traction" and "The Lean Startup". I'd guess it's more like their first book "Abundance" which will be my next read, right after I launch. This is a great book to help entrepreneurs grow exponentially.

Which character – as performed by Steven Kotler – was your favorite?

(Amazon/Audible needs to create a better algorithm to to determine what questions to ask.)
However, Kotler speaking on behalf of Diamandis did provide many great examples of Innovators who went Bold. From Tesla, to Musk and Jobs to Branson, all I already knew about but were still enjoyable to listen to. Diamandis' experiences and thoughts on 3D printing, crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, Xprize and Singularity University are perhaps the best.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

"Moved" no, but Motivated yes. Several times I had to stop to take notes and unlike many other great books this one not only motivates and inspires but also provides great calls to action.

Any additional comments?

If your looking for something to not only inspire you and your team to make bold moves, but to also provide great processes and strategies to execute read "Bold" today!

Great!

I loved Abundance so this was an autobuy. That book is on my top five to recommend to all entrepreneurs and pessimists. This book showed about reaching past your preconceived limits. Highly highly recommended.

goodbbook. painful narrator

i want to listen to it again. not sure if i can sit through it again.

Writers should only rarely record their ooks

The story and key points are damaged by the author's reading. The content is insightful otherwise.

Narration detracted from a very good book

I listened to this book each spare moment thus week while driving, folding laundry, waiting between patients, and so on. Although my profession doesn't lend itself well to the reaches described in this nook, I found BOLD to be inspiring, thought-provoking and a fun, good reas (or listen, in this case ).

I realize many of the ideas and innovations have been discussed and revealed in various media over the years, but to me most of it was fresh, interesting, and integrated. This book provides a blueprint for shaking up the your industry if not the world. I truly hope the authors are working on the stories of exponential entrepreneurs who were inspired by this book.

Stylistically, I grew tired of the lists, lists, and more lists, but that was likely due to listening while driving. Easy to lose track. The other rather large issue was Steven Kotler's narration. I almost stopped listening altogether because of it. His tone is aggressive and unfriendly. I seriously hated it.

Lofty and Practical

This book was a great mix of a lofty vision and practical application. I enjoyed the narrator and I also enjoyed how the book starts off with a grand purpose and the breaks it down into chunks of information that are doable by the reader.

I am inspired to come up with something BOLD to do with my life!

Average story, terrible narration.

Story is fine, but primary example of the book is how author thought he cant make it to NASA so he started his own Planetary mining company. He accounted his succes to beeing bold and skipped timing/luck/location and many other random variables. Author also puts too strong importance on crowdsourcing.

Not to mention tht narration was (imho) bad. Author is reading the book like its the epic law and makes the whole listening slightly stresfull. First book I went on 1.5x speed because I just wanted to get through it.