Train Your Brain Like Joe Hart
Sick of scooping the ball from your proverbial net? Avoid life’s own goals with help from England’s safest pair of hands. Joe Hart is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Premier League club Manchester City.
01 Keep perspective
When Hart was 18 and playing for Shrewsbury Town, scouts from Man United and Man City were drooling over him, but he didn’t pre-order a Ferrari. “Young players attract attention, so I just focused on my job,” he says. The lesson: Lose focus on the bigger picture and you might never reach life’s Premier League.
02 Speak up
As a rookie, Hart wasn’t afraid to bark orders at older players at Shrewsbury, and after joining Man City in 2006 he started bossing Premier League superstars. “I like to talk a lot on the pitch because it helps me to concentrate,” he says. The lesson: Don’t hide in the shadows or you look weak. Give honest opinions at work and to your mates.
03 Slow progress is still progress
After signing for Man City, Hart went on loan to Tranmere, Blackpool and Birmingham before becoming City’s No.1. “I’ve always accepted my role and concentrated on things as they are at that time,” he says. The lesson: Yep, doing the naff jobs in your office doesn’t feel A-list, but suck the best out of each experience and the world will be your oyster.
04 Be a perfectionist
Hart won the Golden Glove award twice for keeping the most Premier League clean sheets in 2010-11 (18) and 2011-12 (17). His secret was to improve in one small detail each day. The lesson: Upgrade your life each day. Lift a heavier dumbbell, run further or eat smarter; just try to be a little better today than you were yesterday.
05 Have a laugh
Online videos show Hart dancing in a hotel room in his pants and singing Wonderwall in training. “I like to have a laugh and mess around,” he says. “It’s not good to get stressed out.” The lesson: Having fun doesn’t mean you’re the office moron, it shows you’re confident and comfortable at what you do. So long as you work hard, give yourself a licence to mess about.
06 Look the part
As part of his pre-match ritual, Hart will have a shower 45 minutes before a game. “I get a lot of abuse for what I pull out of my wash bag but I don’t care,” he says. “I feel good if I’m clean.” The lesson: Whether you’re going on a date or getting prepped for a PowerPoint presentation, you’ll feel more confident if you look like you mean business.
07 Know when to tune in
Joe Hart knows how to focus. “I zone in and zone out because the ball is out of play a lot,” he says. “When it’s nearby I am always moving and watching.” The lesson: Quality, not quantity; it’s better to hit the gym hard for 40 minutes than waste two hours reading women’s magazines on the treadmill.
08 Get organised
A footballer’s life sounds awesome, but Hart can only party in Manchester or whack golf balls if he organises his diary. “I like to have stuff planned for when I’m free,” he explains. The lesson: There’s no worse feeling than having wasted the weekend – good planning optimises your free time.
From the April 2013 issue of FHM India.
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