No Limits: The Will to Succeed

Fresh from his triumphant and extraordinary achievement at the Olympic Games in Beijing, Michael Phelps—up from working-class, born-in-the-USAroots—shows us the secrets to his remarkable success—from training to execution.

For years the world has followed Michael Phelps’s progress from teen sensation in Sydney to bona fide phenom in Athens. Now he’s a living Olympic legend in Beijing with a peerless record of gold medals. In No Limits, Michael Phelps—the greatest competitor since Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods—will share the secrets to his remarkable success. Behind his tally of Olympic gold medals lies a consistent approach to competition, a determination to win, mental preparation, and a straightforward passion for his sport. One of his mottos is "Performance is Reality," and it typifies his attitude about swimming.

No Limits goes behind the scenes to explore the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication that catapulted Phelps into the international spotlight. Phelps shares remarkable anecdotes about family, his coach, his passion for the sport, and the wisdom that he has gained from unexpected challenges and obstacles. Highlighting memorable races and valuable lessons from throughout his career, Phelps offers candid insight into the mind and experiences of a world champion. Phelps’s success is imbued with the perspective of overcoming obstacles and doing whatever it takes to realize a dream. As his coach, Bob Bowman, says, Phelps has made a habit out of things other people aren’t willing to do. No Limits will show readers just how he does that, and will inspire anyone to follow their passion straight to the finish line.

No Limits: The Will to Succeed provides insights from the Beijing Games, the pool, and the team, giving readers an up-close view of Michael Phelps's record-breaking performance. Phelps also shares anecdotes about his family, his coach, his passion for the sport, and lessons learned from unexpected challenges and obstacles. No Limits: The Will to Succeed is an inspirational memoir not only for fans of great, dramatic moments in sports but also for a wider audience of fans who will take inspiration from a man and his determination to succeed.

Publishers Weekly

At just 23 years old, world record-holding swimmer Phelps has become a worldwide sports and pop culture phenomenon, thanks to his unparalleled eight gold medal wins in the 2008 Olympic Games. With help from award-winning sports journalist Abrahamson, Phelps chronicles his life, from Baltimore childhood to triumph in Beijing. The younger brother of two record-setting sisters, Phelps was practically brought up in the water-though he was initially thrown into the pool as therapy for his ADHD, which was diagnosed at an early age. Each of eight chapters takes its name from one of the eight races Phelps won in Beijing, and each is filled with anecdotes and intimate details leading up to his record-breaking successes. He sheds a bit of light on his relationship with his estranged father, and his disenchanting DUI charge just months after winning six gold medals at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. Sparing no details in his account of the rigorous and often grueling training regiment he developed, as well as the career-threatening injuries he overcame just in time for competition, Phelps provides sports buffs with the details they'll crave and his global fan base the candor and charm they're hoping for.
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Michael Phelps is an American swimmer.  He holds the record for winning the most gold medals (8) in a single Olympics (2008).  He has won 16 Olympic medals, 14 gold and two bronze.  He holds seven world records and has over 20 World Championship medals.