9.5 Michael Johnson: Be a Sprinter

“Life is often compared to a marathon, but I think it is more like being a sprinter; long stretches of hard work punctuated by brief moments in which we are given the opportunity to perform at our best.” - Michael Johnson

Are you more of a sprinter or a marathoner?

Michael Johnson is widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters in track and field history. He won 4 Olympic gold medals, and at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he became the first man in history to win both the 200m and 400m at the same Olympics.

He once said, “Life is often compared to a marathon, but I think it is more like being a sprinter; long stretches of hard work punctuated by brief moments in which we are given the opportunity to perform at our best.”

I try to work hard every day so that when it’s time to perform, I’m ready. But like a sprinter, it's hard to maintain peak performance over long periods of time, so when I’m not performing, I’m resting and building. I’m resting and recovering, but I’m also building for the next sprint so that I can make the next sprint better and faster than the last one.

That is life.

You put in long stretches of training, preparation, and unseen work—all the practice, discipline, and grind that no one notices. Then, every so often, you’re given a short window of opportunity—a race, a big presentation, an interview, a performance—where all that work gets tested. Those brief moments of performance don’t last long, but they define you and reveal the payoff of your preparation.

Question of the Day: How are you preparing today so you’re ready when your big moment comes?