Usain Bolt's top tip to stop fixating on your weakness, and get your head in the game

World-record sprinter and eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt will run an 800-meter race live at his home track in Kingston, Jamaica, on July 13 to promote a website. (Image: Reuters)

Well begun is half won. This was especially true for sprint icon Usain Bolt.

Bolt, believe it or not, had a weakness while running. He was shaky with his starts. How he dealt with it and his nerves before a race make for useful tips for a professional in any career.

To stop his concerns from “getting into his head”, the 34-year-old would try to think of unrelated things, such as food and video games.

“I tend to randomly think about anything else but the race,” Bolt, who retired in 2017 but will return to the track on July 13 for a promotion, told CNBC Make It. “Because at times you get it into your head and you start thinking about your weaknesses. I might think about playing video games or what I might have (to eat) after the race.”

There were times he would think about how he’d celebrate if he won. Mostly, he’d mark victories with his trademark ‘To Di World’ sign.

“These are the things (I used) to distract myself before a race,” the Jamaican said. “Because when they say, ‘on your marks’, you have no time think about anything else.”

Bolt is the only sprinter to win the 100m and 200m double at three consecutive Olympics in 2008, 2012 and 2016. He has eight Olympic gold medals in all and holds the 100m and 200m world record.

Bolt also spoke about the importance of mental preparation and about enjoying work.

“It’s 50/50,” he told CNBC Make It. “You can be really fit but if you’re not mentally prepared for the challenge ahead, at times, you will fail. I enjoyed the process. I had fun while doing it. Yes, it was work but for me, it really wasn’t ‘work’.”

Bolt is the brand ambassador for used cars website CarMax. He announced on Tuesday, July 6, that he plans to run an 800-meter race live at his home track in Kingston, Jamaica, on July 13 to promote the website.

“I have a bet with my friends because they feel in a couple of years, I’m going to be fat,” Bolt says. To avoid the onset of a bulge, he runs at least twice a week and does aerobic workouts.

And he avoids late-night snacking. “I try to eat no later than 8 p.m.,” says the father of three. Just that he might think about food at the starting blocks.