Greatness: Michael Johnson
What does it take to be one of the Greatest of All Time, with Michael Johnson. Michael is one of the greatest sprinters of all time, having won four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships golds. He also held the world records in the 200m and 400m – and was the undoubted star of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, becoming the first man to win the 200 / 400 double, and smashing the world record in the 200 in the process. To make the moment all the more memorable he wore gold shoes as he did the double, meaning had he failed it could have got a bit embarrassing. Since retiring from athletics Michael set up a company helping sportspeople around the world reach their potential, and has become a much loved athletics pundit for the BBC. In 2018, Michael suffered a stroke which left him having to learn to walk again, which he did in characteristically record time by applying the lessons he learnt on his journey to becoming an all-time great athlete. In this episode, we look back over Michael's highs and lows and discuss the lessons he learnt along the way. Michael talks about the importance of setting goals, of welcoming feelings of anxiety and nervousness and how to deal with pressure. He talks about keeping the wins and losses in perspective and taking the lessons from both, and in looking back and reflecting on what worked and what didn’t. Michael also explains the difference between confidence and arrogance, and why doing the hard thing is key.