“Every strike out brings me closer to the next home run.” – Babe Ruth
The game of BASEBALL is an amazing teacher.
From my earliest memories of playing tee ball to walking off the field for the last time in college (knowing it was the end, I actually kissed home plate on my way off the field) the game of baseball taught me many life lessons.
Baseball requires the same skills we need to succeed in SALES and LIFE:
- Preparation.
- Awareness.
- Hustle.
But for my MONEYBALL, the most important concept the game teaches is how to deal with FAILURE.
The past 2 years I have been part of the coaching staff for my son’s travel baseball team.
It’s a REMARKABLE learning experience.
What’s the toughest lesson?
Teaching the kids (and sometimes us coaches) how to to respond to FAILURE.
The best baseball players are not the ones with the STRONGEST arms, the FASTEST times to first base, or the most EXPENSIVE bats.
It’s the players who learn how to bounce back from FAILURE the quickest who have the most success.
Baseball mimics life.
To succeed you have to condition yourself to:
- Fail.
- Adapt.
- Move On.
FAILURE
Think about hitting.
You can FAIL at the plate 7 out of 10 times.
That’s a 70% FAILURE rate.
If you can manage to FAIL at 70% for an entire decade, you will go in the HALL OF FAME when you retire.
Wow.
That’s a lot of FAILURE.
It’s easy to lose your composure.
It’s even easier to dwell on that bad play you just made.
A good baseball player has a SHORT MEMORY.
They never let the last play ruin the next one.
ADAPT
Baseball is a game of CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS.
The game forces you to pay attention.
- Where did they hit the ball last time?
- What does this pitcher like to throw with two strikes?
- What do I need to adjust?
ADAPT or lose to someone who does.
MOVE ON
In baseball, it’s all about the next play.
Not everything will go our way.
That’s a good thing.
Failure can be the spark that forces you to GROW and become better.
The best players learn from their mistakes, then MOVE ON to the next play.
Baseball is the ultimate HEAD GAME.
It’s all about MINDSET.
Yogi Berra said, “Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.”
Did you just make a mistake?
Did your ERROR allow the other team to take the lead?
Good.
Make some adjustments.
Jump back into the batter’s box.
Time for a two out rally…
#BatterUp
-Joe Ciccarone
The Vibe 