Jamaica’s Usain Bolt astounded the world by breaking world records in the 100 m. and 200 m. races at the World Athletic Championships in Berlin, each time by 11/100 of a second — a blink of an eye, yet a huge difference in the supersonic world of short races. So did his teammate Shelly Ann Fraser, who won the women’s 100 m. race. My nickname for her is Lady Blur. If you want to photograph when she hits her stride, better have a very fast camera. 

Interviewed on Eurosport, Fraser revealed some valuable lessons we can learn from the achievements of the Jamaican team. (The interview itself was an innovation — filmed as she rode in the back of an official car, on her way to the track, answering questions posed to her on a laptop). 

Where did she learn to run so fast?

“From my mother,” she laughed. “When I was impudent, she would chase me to punish me. I learned to outrun her when I was 10!”  

What did the Jamaican track team learn from Usain Bolt?  

He is an inspiration, she said. He is crazy. He encourages us to have fun, to enjoy the experience. And he teaches us to relax. You perform better when you are relaxed. Bolt, of course, is super-relaxed. He jokes, gestures and makes faces before and after races, and sometimes, in preliminaries, even during them. Make no mistake. Bolt and the team are driven by aspiration, and train very very hard. But they also know how to enjoy the moment, and their smiles light up TV screens as they are introduced just before the races begin. It is a joy to watch them, compared to the tight tense drawn expressions of other runners, who inevitably lose to the Jamaicans.

Innovation and achievement thrive in an atmosphere of fun and laughter. This is contrary to what many organizations believe. Shelly Ann Fraser confirms this, as does Bolt himself. 

Laugh! Enjoy! Savor the moment! And watch the ideas flow.