17 Mar, 2021

TRANSCRIPT

Pete Cohen  0:01
Happy beautiful day it's Pete Cohen, it is the Mi365 podcast. I'm super excited. Today my guest is one of the fastest human beings on earth. He's an incredible man, and he has an incredible mindset. You're going to learn so much and you're going to be inspired. The podcast today is with the awesome Curtis Mitchell.

Pete Cohen  0:52
Happy Beautiful day Pete Cohen here. Super excited it's not every day you get to interview one of the fastest people on Earth but I got to know my guest through clubhouse, which I think a lot of people are now starting to hear about. And immediately resonated with this man's spirit, this man's desire this, man's determination, this man's mental approach to just to life. Curtis thank you so much for joining me today. How are you?

Curtis Mitchell  1:17

I'm doing good. Thanks for having me. It's a pleasure.

Pete Cohen  1:20
Yeah I mean I always take it as a great pleasure where you work for me where you get to spend time with someone who's dedicated their life to getting better at something I just think it's, It's one of the greatest things that any human being can do so for those of us that don't know who you are. I know soon the whole world will know your name. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Curtis Mitchell  1:42
Yeah, so my name is Curtis Mitchell, 31 years old in Daytona Beach, Florida. Going into my 10th year of being a professional sprinter. Now, with Adidas. I took the bronze medal behind Usain Bolt in 2013. 2014 I was an American champion NCAA champion at Texas A&M University, and I'm also the 120 meter state California State Champion. Jimmy Carter state champion and I'm the second man in history to ever do that feat. So it's a little bit about me. I'm currently trying to put on Olympic Games and next year's World Championships. They're looking to have some big years coming up.

Pete Cohen  2:23
So let's uh tell me, I'd love to know, how did you get into running it at what point did you kind of find out oh my god I am pretty fast.

Curtis Mitchell  2:32
Yeah it was it was a childhood dream of mine. You know, I've always wanted to be the fastest man in the world. I said that when I was a child, and I remember just running around my neighborhood, just playing with the kids in a neighborhood and you know just being competitive and one thing led to the next, I got introduced to the club track net dog local neighborhood tackles and he came to my neighborhood, he had a van full of kids and you know one of the guys in my neighborhood was like hey man, you should get on the site team because, by that time, I was pretty much faster than everybody in my neighborhood that was my age so I kind of knew I had to give I always knew I had to give. So I guess I was kind of discovered when I was a child, during those club years and when I went out there, My mom, she let me get an event and I went to sapphires for the first time and I just remember my toast and I was especially in there making it to Nationals. I had my whole age group, and the rest is just kind of history, but I feel like that's where it kind of started.

Pete Cohen  3:35
I'm always fascinated by how much of it is you know natural-born talent and how much of it is hard work. But I bet you get asked that all the time, right, but you can be the most talented person in the world and if you don't do the work I remember that film.

Pete Cohen  5:00
I think is called I am bolt, and you just see that just the relentless pursuit of hard work and dedication towards a goal. Yeah no Sophie you kind of tell me how much of you do write it down to talent and how much of it down to hard work.

Curtis Mitchell  5:18
Well you definitely got to have a gift. You have to. I definitely do believe that you have to be born. I was born with a gift, but as you said, you know, that really doesn't mean that I think that there's only going to take you so far so you have to have the mindset and the drive to take that talent to the next level to hone that talent to perfect that craft perfect and correct that talent. So it's just a combination of both, either, either one way or the other for a long period of time or a sustained period of time.

Pete Cohen  5:48
Yeah, cuz I heard I've heard you speak a few times and I think your unique talent is far greater than your ability to run really fast because the thing that drew me to you is just your, the way that you think and who you are and how you choose to move through the world. Tell me a little bit about you, your approach to life, and your approach to everything that you do.

Curtis Mitchell  6:12
Yeah. Thank you so much for that. This is always super humbling and super nice to meet you know like-minded individuals who kind of see deeper than, you know, surface obvious things that you bring to the world. I can say, just the way I think I'm just a high performer, high achiever. I'm a very disciplined person. I'm a person who strives for excellence, that wants to better himself that wants to dominate in anything that I do and just see the absolute best in me and in a healthy and unhealthy way.

Pete Cohen  6:46

Where did you learn that from where do you think that came from just I'm just genuinely curious. Is that something you've learned from parents or, you know people that you near?

Curtis Mitchell  6:55
Yeah, yeah, just my upbringing, you know my upbringing and my story. Single parent home watch my mom worked two jobs, you know that really instilled in me hard work, dedication, you know, because they were spending opportunities. When my dad left for different reasons. And I control my dad was incarcerated when I was seven years old so I didn't. That was taken away from me. So, to watch my mom have to wear two hats in that particular time raising you to know a young man was easy, you know he was homeless at one point, I watched her start from zero and get us back on our feet so you never forget those type of things as a child and that kind of holds you, and then plus me coming, you know, my story has, has a lot of adversity to it so it makes me more relentless to the war it makes me more grateful. You know I never want to go back I had this mindset of, you know, I have a great opportunity to make some of my life and life is so short that I never want to take it for granted and I think I had that same mindset with my career, you know, I told myself when I started, you know what, I can feel career will engineer because before the world even knew me. Hey, I'm not gonna piss away my career I'm not going to be one of those guys that you know I'm not perfect, I've made a lot of mistakes as you can imagine. But one thing that I strive to do is I've never been a follower. I've always thought and have my own thoughts, and I've always had that, that ability to say no and to be disciplined and I think, to be honest with you, Pete man that's, that's the biggest factor man in this thing called life, doesn't matter who you are, you know, we do life based off what we see and what we think life should look like through our own lenses, and it's very important that you have the right movie pieces of scriptures putting in kind of your head, to get you through life and I just me, knowing early, you know, having support to kind of change that, you know, knowing that okay if I work hard and try this and open up so many doors for me, once it did lead me to university, you know, I've been able to go to college and don't have an associate's degree I've met incredible people. And I'm eventually you know going into the pros is just a byproduct and understand, you know, just having that just translates to the person so yeah,

Pete Cohen  9:08
So, I mean look, there's so much that comes out there and, like, there's an area I'd like to explore with you. If it's okay, but before we do that, you know, I think what's so fascinating right is so many people that have had the upbringing that you had would definitely have chosen a very similar path right and just be, you know, chosen a path, maybe a similar path to the path that your father chose, but just not to be who you are today and I just always find that what do you think that was because surely what you see in your past could have taken you down a road where things could have been really, really different. Where did you learn to make Wait Why did you make that choice to make the choice that you made to go down the road that you're on now?

Curtis Mitchell  9:51
You know I can't. I just knew you know early on in my childhood. Everything was, you know, when you grew up in these types of environments where you know you have different influences that leaning towards destruction. Just the people around me and watching the things that, you know, happen to my dad and transpired different family members always knew early that eventually, you know, I didn't want to end up down that road. I never wanted to go to jail or go to prison or, you know, lose my life in the streets, you know, I've always had a different mindset. Early on I knew I was talented. I just knew I was different, you just know early on certain characteristics that you possess, you know, based off your fellow classmates and I was seeing certain people who were getting involved in certain things, they didn't have the ability to, you know, not do that and I created a lot of that to my mom, she was, you know, tough on me. She was very hard on me so I think my mom, you know, I know my mom played a big part of that, you know when she raised me and kind of killed me Center. She did the best she could to keep me sheltered away from, you know, negative, negative things and bad influences so.

Pete Cohen  11:03
it's so fascinating because, you know, My, my background in psychology when I'm talking to someone I can't help myself. It's not like I'm trying, it's just a part of my brain is just so curious as to, okay, how does this person think and what I picked up immediately, was when you mentioned the word lens that you have an ability to see things in your own mind right you see yourself succeeding and you. It's interesting when you talk about your childhood you use your internal lens to see how your future could turn out and think well hang on, I could end up there, you know, it's like your superpower right Would you not agree that you have that ability to see things working out or see things in a way that I don't want to work. You know, I'm sure you don't get it right all the time but do you think that's a fairly accurate reflection of how your brain works

Curtis Mitchell  11:49
110% I think you just nailed that and I think I actually I think that's my greatest gift and that's the ability to dream to dream and to see, you know, future to have a vision, I've always been that that way even when I was in junior college I used to write little notes and little phrases on my spikes, you know, like, little reminders affirmations I write on my bathroom wall you know I was enjoying college and I wrote the time that I wanted to run into 200 meters and I will wake up and look at that know every single day I will wake up and see 19.9 seconds. So I've always had that affirmation, even before I knew what it was, you know, and then I associated that with law of attraction so having the ability to know that whatever I put out in the university repays me tenfold, you know, if I put out positive energy in this direction. Do you manifest enough energy in a specific passion, then, you know, results in his successes inevitable.

Pete Cohen  12:44
Yeah well I think that that is one of the things that if you do it, you don't just see it but you actually feel it, you know, you kind of connect to the person that you're capable of becoming and it's, it's very strange how very few people do that, you know that's one of the reasons, one of the things I'm doing on clubland is really getting people to speak their future but yeah I've you've probably seen that as well. They're very few people do that, but I think there's a couple of things I'd love to, obviously, discuss with you I read just before we came on, I was talking to six times sneaker World Champion I'd love you to meet him, I mean this guy is called Ronnie O'Sullivan, a very interesting childhood father went to prison when Ronnie was 15 for murder. He got the life imprisonment as mum was in prison, and he easily could have chosen a different path, hugely talented, but boy, has he worked hard his talent, and by the way, he loves running. He just loves running, and again I just admire the path that people choose to make, especially if that path is about doing something because I know for you it's not about, it's not about you. It's all about you, but it's not about you right because you want to inspire so many people right I mean, what is ultimately your, your mission in what you're doing right now.

Curtis Mitchell  14:02
Well my ultimate mission has to become Olympic and world champion and just maximize my potential in this sport's attacking field. Really not leaving no stone unturned and walking away from the sport, saying I gave my absolute best because my whole career has been about big sacrifices so I'm just trying to maximize that, and ride these things to the NFL, I got a lot of unfinished business. And along that journey, I want to inspire as many people as I can walk more in purpose to make the journey more about, there's less abolishes me and in pursuit of gold. You know that's gonna be the goal of me as an athlete, yes, yes, there has to be the goal, you know, that's just the level that our map we're making it more about how can I make this more about others and impactful, and eventually you know to do different things in health and wellness space I want to be, you know the points of health, you know, especially with COVID-19 You know I live a very healthy active lifestyle so that's going to already that's going to give me so many more opportunities outside and I can feel, you know, and I just want to be a great businessman as well too. I'm looking forward to getting into the real estate space I'm learning from a lot of top successful guys clubhouse has been a game-changer. So I just want to continue to be a good person man and go to the next level.

Pete Cohen  15:20
I actually remember interviewing this guy called Stevie Mcgeown right. This is, this guy's crazy he ran 100 marathons in 100 days, right, and then he did 40 ultra marathons in 40 days, and I was interviewing him, and I could tell that when I was asking about hey it was really hard. It was difficult and blah blah blah. He was like, why are you asking me those questions because I don't relate to the fact that it's hard, I just relate to the fact that I've got to do what I got to do and I'm going to get on with it, you know, and I'm sure that's part of your success right it's just, you just, you focus on the things that you do have direct control over and let everything take care of itself is that right, because I think that's why a lot of people struggle right they forget I told you when I worked with Dwayne chambers, a 100 meter runner. And he came to me because he had some serious issues around Maurice Green because he just couldn't stop thinking about Maurice Green. And that's because, you know, Maurice Green was so clever right he used to just walk up in front he did what no one else would do, he walked up 10 meters 1520 meters on the track before the race, and everyone starts looking at him, and everyone starts focusing on him. Yeah, and I remember, you know. So what was it like for you then when you when you had to come up and race against people that were faster than you obviously namely Usain Bolt.

Curtis Mitchell  16:48
So you're asking me my experience?

Pete Cohen  16:51
Yeah. What was that like I mean, you know, I'm curious as to you know did you did you still think I can beat him or did you just think what I'm just gonna run my race I don't care what he does?

Curtis Mitchell  16:59
Yeah, I mean, those experiences, man, they're so hard to describe because it was just such a surreal moment. And I've been blessed to be in the air while raising all the top guys, you know, almost, I haven't. I've never raised the sample power. Every split. While this pyramid Justin Gatlin tasted good Usain Bolt, you know, raised these guys, you know, at the top of their game. And as a competitor, you know, as a person, you just have so much respect for him as he's individually kind of seeing these guys it's like the gladiators like the David and Goliath, you know, all everybody else prior to that, it's just a challenge that I must conquer in order to get to these guys like the last steps and when you arrive, you know always come with like respectful confidence not an arrogant cocky, you know, disrespectful way when you compete against them, you show homage, but you also, you show through your through the way you're approaching your work and your craft by staying focus on because regardless away. You can't control what anybody does. You have to solely focus on what you're there to do, and your game plan and just execute that. And that's how I was when I found myself. Right, exactly behind Usain Bolt at the World Championships, the biggest race of my life. You know and I had to I had to get into that race believing that I can't win this, and I still feel like if I if I had a better start, you know, I wouldn't be, you know I wasn't going to that race to try to get there I was trying to win it, you know, so you always have that mindset, especially me, and I just feel like those guys just helped take me to, when you reach those guys you know okay today is the day that my body has to go somewhere it's never been before. In order for me to have a chance and I think that's the most exciting and fun thing about it, it's like a ride like, let's do it right, you know what I mean it's just so hard to explain but it's awesome.

Pete Cohen  18:47
Yeah, of course, it is. It's like beyond words. I'm just curious, did you use to like visualize yourself running that race and winning. Was that was that part of your kind of routine.

Curtis Mitchell  18:56
Yeah, really just this more some dreaming of, of hitting my positions in the running that perfect race, you know, doing and just being confident that, okay I'm gonna do exactly what the game plan is I trust the game plan. I can't go out there and do anything that I haven't been trained to do and I think that's what you find, you want that feeling as a sprinter because you're never gonna just feel like super confident because you know you I mean, I take that bet you're never gonna feel not worried and anxious and all these different emotions but for me, it's just all about having that feeling of, you know that flow state is when I'm in the flow state, nothing else matters. It doesn't matter who I'm racing when I'm in that flow state, and I'm pretty sure you experienced it doing what you do when you tap in when you're there doing what you do. It's beautiful man it's a whole another filter like let's, let's do it. Yeah,

Pete Cohen  19:45
Yeah, you know, yeah, it's, it's, you know, you know, what you represent to me is, it's like you got to focus on your own game. Focus on what you can control use the lens in your mind to pick something to create and make happen in your future, train, do whatever you need to do to bring this thing into life whether you do whether you've done is not, not the most important, the most important thing is just making the decision to work towards something that is difficult and challenging and just giving you all right, you know, did you ever come across this as me being selfish and some of our podcast listeners might not know, But did you have you ever met Michael Johnson.

Curtis Mitchell  20:28
Yeah, he came to my channel was still in Arizona. Yep, definitely, Michael Johnson, and he was the guy looked up to, we all grown up was like no, we want to run it tomorrow, we're like him. We never seen anybody ever thought in my lifetime I never thought in my lifetime I was ever going to see a human-run faster in 1930 I thought that that record was going to stand the test of time, but so one boat ran 19 years and he was like, this is just insane. Wow. Yeah,

Pete Cohen  20:58

Yeah. So you like you know you look at these guys and you respect them, you respect the people that you know that come before you, but you were still racing against you respect them, that you kind of decide to use them as fuel for you to be the very you like the competition right you like racing against people that are just as fast as you because you see that as fuel for you to show what you're capable of.

Curtis Mitchell  21:26
Absolutely right. I only want to race the best I want you to want to compete against the best, I wanted to be the best you must be the best. And you know when you learn against these, these athletes, you know, defeat a team, it's gonna require a performance of your lifetime, and that's the only way you continue to push the needle by racing to the absolute best by competing with the absolute best. I don't want to race with people below my level, I'm not going to get anywhere. You know I feel like that that plays that plays into people, no real champion wants that you know you live for those challenges you dropped the next man up the best in the world. So when you aren't happy, it actually means that when you actually feel it, and you actually aren't champion, you know, so I love the challenge man I absolutely love it.

Pete Cohen  22:10

I really appreciate it because you know obviously I want people who are listening to this, to think about okay what could I take from Curtis that I could apply, you know, to my life. And obviously, the first thing is definitely that lens of being able to see your future better than where you are right now, and also just use the lens to see look, if I did this and I did that and I partied I ended up like that and I don't want to go there. And also just sticking to your lane surrounding yourself with people who, you know, have the same ideals as you know people that make you want to be better, I think that's also a key ingredient another ingredient that you've definitely articulated is wanting to make a difference to other people's lives by being an example yourself right now. I just want to know right, what would you like the legacy to be of your running career, what do you want to happen as a result of that, what do you want to leave behind, no probably nothing's right because you want to give it your all.

Curtis Mitchell  23:06
I want to be considered as seen as one of the greatest ever from America, you know, a guy that truly dedicated and do right by the sport of track and field who embodies everything that a true champion embodies and I want to be remembered as a true champion. As soon as what I want to be remembered as Matt to champion because that's how I represent myself on and off the track and on and on as I can, myself, you know, being a champion. So, yeah,

Pete Cohen  23:36
I think you're a fantastic example, what would you like to say to people that are looking to progress in their life, What would you say are some of the key elements of being a high achiever.

Curtis Mitchell  23:46
Must have God in your life, must have faith. Just believed in yourself. Never give up and just enjoy the process and then once you enjoy the process the results always come in so I leave you with.

Pete Cohen  24:01
Thank you so much I would, how do people follow up the best place to follow you right is on Instagram, I was looking at your page today there's loads of inspiration on there, and it's mr._200.

Curtis Mitchell  24:15
Also by clubhouse, it's @mrmitchell200m. That's my new favorite place.

Pete Cohen  24:21
Yeah, no, I've seen you on the many many many many times. Listen, I really really appreciate your time I've really taken some, some great lessons from you myself that I'm going to share with the world. And like I said, I really encourage you to listen to Curtis and follow Him. And, yeah, listen, I wish you luck I don't know what's gonna happen with Tokyo, but if that doesn't happen I'm sure the World Championships will happen next year and you will be victorious. I will be rooting for you, my friend. But for now I just really want to thank you for your time I've really enjoyed kind of unpacking a little bit about the man behind the machine.

Curtis Mitchell  25:02
It's been a pleasure Pete. Thank you so much for inviting me. It's been an honor and a blessing. You're such a great guy. I'm glad we're able to connect.

Pete Cohen  25:10
So, thank you so much.