“You hit home runs not by chance, but by preparation.” – Roger Maris
Baseball great, Roger Maris, racked up 275 dingers over his 12 seasons in the majors. He certainly didn’t achieve this success by random chance, but instead realized early in his career that preparation is fundamental to success. This idea goes beyond simply practicing the skill you want to improve. The type of preparation Roger spoke about is a systematic, relentless drive to completely and utterly ready yourself for every conceivable possibility in your craft.
The sport of baseball is an incredibly streaky sport. Performance and success can ebb and flow with the passing of each new day. Players often find it difficult to re-build their confidence after a string of mediocre performances. All too often, coaches will advise an alteration in your technique. Tweaking form can certainly be the difference maker, but more often than not, slumps in confidence are a result of a negative trend in mindset.
So what can we do? As players, it is vital to prepare, prepare, prepare. Be brutally honest with yourself and identify the area of your game that needs the most work. Be aggressive and relentless with the work you put into that skill. Get to the field early and stay late. Take time when you’re alone to visualize your skill over and over and over. Seek help from teammates who perform the skill well. Already doing a lot? Do more. Nothing fuels confidence like laying a strong foundation of preparation.
Baseball great, Roger Maris, racked up 275 dingers over his 12 seasons in the majors. He certainly didn’t achieve this success by random chance, but instead realized early in his career that preparation is fundamental to success. This idea goes beyond simply practicing the skill you want to improve. The type of preparation Roger spoke about is a systematic, relentless drive to completely and utterly ready yourself for every conceivable possibility in your craft.
The sport of baseball is an incredibly streaky sport. Performance and success can ebb and flow with the passing of each new day. Players often find it difficult to re-build their confidence after a string of mediocre performances. All too often, coaches will advise an alteration in your technique. Tweaking form can certainly be the difference maker, but more often than not, slumps in confidence are a result of a negative trend in mindset.
So what can we do? As players, it is vital to prepare, prepare, prepare. Be brutally honest with yourself and identify the area of your game that needs the most work. Be aggressive and relentless with the work you put into that skill. Get to the field early and stay late. Take time when you’re alone to visualize your skill over and over and over. Seek help from teammates who perform the skill well. Already doing a lot? Do more. Nothing fuels confidence like laying a strong foundation of preparation.