It was the summer of 2011 in Klamath Falls, Oregon where I was participating in my very first collegiate summer ball experience. This was the first time being away from home and living with a host family for the summer. Initially I was scared, nervous, anxious and all the above. My mind was racing with thoughts like “What if I don’t perform? What if they don’t like me? Are they going to send me home? Do I belong?”
Little did I know that this summer would change the course of my career forever. After starting 2-18 and on the verge of destruction, we rumbled off 18 wins in a row. With athletes from Thomas Eshelman with the Baltimore Orioles to Thomas Thorpe with the Chicago Cubs, our lineup was stacked. But what changed after those first few weeks together as a team?
MINDSET
The “6th tool” otherwise known as the mental side of the game was the key difference maker in our success. The team began to buy in to the process set in place. Our culture was second to none with so much positivity and enthusiasm. The mental side of the game is what separates the good from the great in all sports. This is not an overnight fix. There is no “get rich quick” scheme when it comes to the mental side. It takes time. It takes consistency. And it takes courage to develop a Major League Mindset.
Step One: ENERGY
The human body is made up of millions of atoms that create energy in space. Our energy is reflected amongst the rest of the world meaning we can FEEL each other’s energy waves! When an athlete brings a positive mindset and enthusiasm to the table, they are more likely to experience success. Too many times we see athletes get in their own way with negative self-talk. They begin to tell themselves that they are NOT good enough. By doing so you are putting negative energy into the atmosphere and in turn will receive negativity and failure in your development. Be positive, be uplifting, and be a good teammate!
Step Two: CONFIDENCE
A strong belief in oneself; firm trust. Confidence is the key to any successful athlete and person in our society. If you do not have a strong BELIEF in your ability, how are you going to succeed on the baseball field? Confidence comes from developing a process that works for you and building a firm foundation. It is important to have a routine that we can resort to no matter what the situation is. Believe in yourself… you got this!
Step Three: ACTION
You can have all the energy and desire in the world to succeed but if you do not take ACTION, you will never MOVE! In order to become the best version of ourselves we must first TAKE ACTION towards our goals. Imagine if we got 1% better each day for a month. That is 30% better than we were when we first started. Amazing concept isn’t it?! I dare you to take one step forward today by trying something new, showing up with more INTENT, or simply showing up 5 minutes earlier to practice.
You never know how good you can be until you take action towards your goals. The famous Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, then you can do it.” These three steps will help you become the best athlete you can possibly become TODAY!
Remember, you can achieve anything you set your mind to!
