The Road Less Traveled: Meet Usain St. Leo Bolt

Usain Bolt suffers from Scoliosis, loves fast food and does not like training!!! Many of you are probably wondering who Usain Bolt is, i.e. if you are living under a rock, and why exactly is this news? Well let me bring you up to speed.

30-year old Usain St. Leo Bolt is undoubtedly one of track and field’s most outstanding sportsmen of all times; dubbed legendary and well-beloved by many. If you are an avid fan of the Olympics, you would have been aware of this ‘wonder of nature’ who bolted onto the scenes (no pun intended) in the 2008 Beijing games.  In this year’s competition in Rio, Bolt cinched the coveted legendary spot in the history of the sports world by securing his ninth consecutive gold, while maintaining his grip on the World and Olympic records. This was a three-peat performance for the sprint star, after nabbing gold in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4×100 meter relay over the course of the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Never in the history of sports has this feat ever been pulled off by one man. Yet, at 6 feet 5 inches, Bolt struggles with a debilitating spinal condition, admits to having an avid appetite for food kind that does not promote his athletic finesse and shockingly, takes no extraordinary pleasure in doing the leg work that landed him in very, very close proximity to such great sports icons as Muhammad Ali and Jesse Owens. It does beg the million dollar question, “How does he do it?”

I am now for the first time throwing my full weight behind making my brand a household name. I am no longer in school and no longer am I tied to a full time job with a rigid schedule that would often extend beyond the regular 8-hour gig. I have time, lots and lots of time to conjure up my creative doppelganger and to give myself fully to all the things I had dreamt of doing regarding the successful establishment of my business, when time was nowhere in sight. What no one told me was that I would finally get into a space where I would have the opportunity to do what I absolutely love, but that it would demand more than just my gift and passion. That it would demand extreme self-governance, discipline, grit, sheer focus, commitment, persistence, scheduling, planning, establishing and consistently adhering to a very structured routine that produces results, delayed gratification, time management, and a strong accountability ethos.

In this new season of my life it really isn’t difficult for me to decipher how Usain Bolt has consistently managed to stay at the top of his industry, despite his idiosyncrasies and physical challenges. It’s pretty simple. Every day he makes the decision to do whatever it takes to keep himself in peak performance. Bolt’s workout routine is beyond ridiculous for the average human and though it produces the ideal stamina and form, it is incessantly intermingled with immense pain, owing to his spinal condition. He watches his appetite, permitting himself to binge on fast-food every few months, but sticking with a diet that is guaranteed to undergird the legacy he has committed to etch in the minds of the millions of celebrants he has managed to garner across the globe.

Bolt may not be a fan of the measures he has to take to be the best at what he does, but he knows what has to be done and he simply does it. That’s what I am beginning to discover as I craft my own journey to the top. Anyone who intends on manifesting his or her leadership gift and successfully serving it to the world will come to quickly realize that, though passions may differ, the principles for arrival remain the same. Indeed, Bolt has taken the road less traveled by most and that has made all the difference. God-speed in your endeavors!