Usain Bolt is Ja-making his competition crazy! The Jamaican star runner is blasting past the pack in the 100 meter and 200 meter Olympic races.
Bolt has been doing the 200 meter run all his life since he started as a youngster in track and field in native Jamaica where the sport reins supreme.
Besides remarkable athleticism and God given talent, what are some of Usain Bolt’s amazing success secrets?
1. Keep it simple and stay cool.
Usain likes to have fun with his teammates and share a laugh with his rivals. Only on event day does Bolt separate and go into compete mode. Otherwise Usain is fun and playful. On event day however he runs his heart out and says he competes like an animal.
When asked about Carl Lewis his predecessor who won the 100 and 200 meter races in the Olympics, Bold replied: “I don’t think about it too much as that puts too much pressure on you. Like a baby, I’m taking a step at a time.”
2. Know your weakness and work on it.
Bolt admits his weeakness is his start, that being the worst (if there is such a thing for the fastest man on earth) part of his race. Hence the happy go lucky runner extensively and intensively works on every part of his race to improve his over all performance when he runs.
Style and his first 30 meters is what Bolt is working to further improve and correct. When asked going into Beijing what he thought would be the ideal time for the 100 meter run, Bolt said 9.85 (speaking of seconds) will win.
3. Always be advancing, seriously committed, and continually dedicating yourself.
To advance in sprinting, it requires “more dedication” to quote Bolt. “If you want to be a champion, you’ve got to take it seriously. When I was young I just wanted to party.”
4. Embrace and celebrate competition.
When asked by ESPN how Jamaica continually produces world class runners, Bolt said, “It’s all about competition. We’re very competitive. We’re all going (striving) to be the champion. Competition is huge.”
Although Bolt befriends all other runners and is a likeable guy, he considers all rivals once on the track. Yet Usain wants his competitorss such as Tyson Gay to recover and be well in order to increase the competition, so the true winner can ultimately emerge fairly.
Bolt says, “Jamaica looks forward to the challenge with the United States” as he welcomes all competition to prove who is undoubtedly the best.
5. Learn from the best and remain humble enough to be coached.
Bolt told ESPN, “My coach has guided me to the top.”
To be at the leve of runner as Usain Bolt and to be humble enough to recognize and honor the value of your coach’s contribution to your professional career is outstanding. Humility opens the door to many blessings on and off the track.
6. Enjoy yourself on and off the track.
Usain Bolt is the same person on and off the track, as is evident by the way he celebrated when finishing the 100 meter run in showboat fashion according to some. Yet whey not enjoy the moment considering you’ve worked for years for it!
Before running the 100 meter spring in Beijing I noticed Bolt’s playful and loosey goosey mentality as he played with the moment and stayed cool. This enabled him to be loose, limber, and ready to bolt as his name accurately describes the fastest man in the world.
And so by enjoying and being fully present in the moment, Bolt can lose himself and become one with his event.
When asked which he would prefer – a world record or an olympic gold medal? Bolt said, “It’s an honor to be the fastest man in the world, but to me it’s more of an honor to be a gold medalist. A gold medal lasts longer than a world record. A world record can be broken any time or place.”
When asked what it felt like to cross that finish line during the 100 meter race, Bolt replied, “It was a great feeling. I’m really happy with myself that I accomplished this.”
Bolt’s mother in the stands was greeted by her son and given a big hug (with a two ecstatic Chinese young men in between) after he won the 100 meter race. Bolt had his gold shoes on ready to be photographed by the world record sign and bore his Jamaican flag proudly during his victory run.
What Bolt teaches us all most of all is to just have fun!
Paul F Davis is a worldwide motivational speaker and life coach building dreams, breaking limitations, and transforming individuals and organizations.
