Play Like Your Number 1 Train Like Your Number 2
Four-time Olympic winner Maurice Greene once said the quote “play like your number 1 train like your number 2”. Before the Usain Bolt dominance, Maurice Greene was the record holder for the 100m and is definitely considered one of the best sprinters of all time.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, I have heard this quote said again. It really rings true. Having the confidence of a champion but training like you are the underdog. Sportspeople know all too well that when you are at the top, compliance can seep in if the mindset is not right.
That’s why the all-time greats of sport keep their hunger in training even though they’re the best. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls and Alex Ferguson Football teams adhere to this principle of play like your number 1 train like your number 2.
Just like Nasa and space exploitation helps invent better technology. Sportspeople and especially Olympic athletes can teach us about mindset strength. Every day through training and competition, they’re pushing their body and mind to the limits.
The mindset of playing like your number 1 train like your number 2 is an inevitable factor in any sportspersons success.
Why This Will Benefit Your Performance
Focusing on your mind is an important aspect for any Olympic athlete. Focusing it on the rights things can be more difficult. That’s why simplifying what you need to do is crucial for understanding what’s needed of you to perform to your best.
Play like your number 1 will benefit you in thoughts that lead to actions that create winning results. If you go to the Olympics believing you will lose, won’t win, or won’t perform. Then these words will ring true in your performance. Allowing the mind to believe you are worthy of winning and will perform to your best ability will create an aurora of confidence that will create one part of the winning formula. Having the aurora of a champion can sometimes be enough to cast doubt in someone else’s brain especially in one to one combat.
Train like your number 2 is a mindset that everyone should always keep. The hunter creates an energy, a focus and a desire that can bring out the best in anyone. Everyone loves the underdog story and this is why it’s so hard to stay on top. When anyone becomes the best in their field. More opportunities arise, people want to use you more and the mind can be distracted from what helped you to the top in the first place.
In the Rocky 3 film, you saw this. Where Rocky’s newfound fame affected his marriage, his training and eventually ended in defeat. To reclaim his world title he had to go back to basics and train like his number 2. Which ended in his improvement as a boxer and victory. Even though it’s a fictional film. The message is clear and anyone who does not train like they’re a number 2 will fall to the same fate of losing their top spot.
The Olympian Who Won It All
Adam Peaty is a British three-time Olympic Gold winning swimmer. From the date, this article is published he has been undefeated for 7 years and holds the world record time and 16 of the fastest times ever recorded. This is dominance against a field of swimmers who are the best that’s ever been.
For Adam to do this, he has created the mentality of play like your number 1 train like your number 2. He walks onto the platform like he is the champion and he knows the only person he needs to defeat hs himself. When he’s not swimming for Olympic medals and world titles he is training non-stop like his life depends on it. Spending time away from his family and putting in the hours to make sure he stays on top.
When he won his Tokyo Gold you could see the relief and weight fall from his shoulders of all that hard work he’s put in has become a reality.
To have this mindset takes courage to endure. This is not for everyone but this is for people who want to be the best at what they do. The results and rewards of this are worth it in the end.
How This Mindset Can Benefit You
Not everyone is an Olympic athlete going for gold. But play like your number 1 train like your number 2 applies for everything. Going into an exam, public speaking in meetings, progressing with your career or business. It can be anything and what this mindset produces is for you to have confidence in yourself but you know the hard work you put in behind the scenes will come through in the end.
Success at anything is no fluke. It’s formed in the mind then acted out in real life. Anyone who has succeeded knows this. By studying Olympic athletes mindset. They can teach you so much how to live your life that produces results.
What To Do Next
For you, it’s really simple. Play like your number 1 train like your number 2.
When you’re writing believe that you are an author but practice and study writing like your not.
When you’re parenting believe you are a great parent but learn and study parenting like you’re not yet.
Believe you are the best salesperson but train and network like your not.
I hope you get the message that you can apply this mindset to sport and your daily life.
So make sure today you play like your number 1 train like your number 2
PLEASE COMMENT AND SHARE YOUR STORIES
Has this helped you today? I would love to hear your thoughts on this mindset. Always remember you are not alone and everything can change.
A Final Word From The Future Mindset
I hope you enjoyed today’s article Olympic Mindset: Play Like Your Number 1 Train Like Your Number 2. I hope the article has helped in some way. If you need extra help or any questions answered. Don’t hesitate to contact me at adam@thefuturemindset.com
We are on social media platforms below but we are really excited to announce our weekly newsletter about everything mindset. Sign up below and enjoy the process of building your mental strength.
Follow Us On Instagram & Twitter
@thefuturemindset/@futuremindset_