I have watched my share of baseball over the last few weeks. I was at the Conference USA tournament for almost every game. Although unable to get a ticket to watch the Dogs in Fayetteville, I sprung for ESPN Plus and have been watching regional games nonstop for days. I have even gone out to the Sports Complex over the weekend to watch youth baseball.
Watching all this baseball has reminded me of how this game is so representative of life. The lessons learned on the diamond and in the dugout can help us all navigate the challenges of life. Here are just a few of those lessons:
- Failure is part of life. Baseball is a game of failure. No one gets on base every time. No one makes every play perfectly. In life, the only way we can truly reach our potential is to try new things and not be fearful of failing. Just like in baseball, if we want to experience life to the fullest, we are going to have to “step up to the plate” and give it our best effort. While it won’t always work out, it will be worth it! The lesson here is: Don’t let a fear of failure keep you from experiencing life and reaching your potential.
- It’s a team sport. While much of baseball appears to be pitcher versus batter in an individual confrontation, it is truly a team game. No one can play the game alone. Many times, it takes multiple teammates to score a run or make an out. Teammates must work together for the team to succeed. We need others in life too. We weren’t created to live alone. We need to connect with others. We need to love and be loved by others. We need to help and be helped at times. The lesson here is: Invest in building relationships with others and be a great teammate.
- Live in the present. Baseball players that have the most success are those that focus on making the next play and don’t let the last play impact them. They don’t let a negative play impact their ability to make the next play. Many of us are allowing a negative event, relationship, or result from the past to impact our future. We say we have moved on or moved forward, but that old “thing” from the past surfaces from time to time hindering us in some manner. The lesson here is: Deal with the past, confront it, and do whatever you need to get closure and move forward. Your future is too valuable to waste on the past!
- Be consistently flexible. The best baseball players always play hard but are also flexible in their approach to the game. While they may always be aggressive when batting, they may adjust their stance depending on the pitcher. In life, we need to hold true to convictions, beliefs, and purpose, but we may need to adjust our strategy at times as variables in life change. The life lesson here is: Don’t let others define you. Stay true to your beliefs but be willing to adjust your approach to be effective!
- Life is not fair. The hardest hit balls in baseball sometimes get caught. The best pitches get hit. Sometimes just the opposite happens. It’s not a fair game! Life is not fair either. It never has been and never will be fair. The quicker you accept that fact and embrace it, the better equipped you will be to navigate life. The life lesson here is: Don’t get consumed with results. Focus on the process of doing right things right. In the end, you will be much more fulfilled and content. Raise your standards not your expectations.
Just a few thoughts from the Doug Out….I thought that would be a great name for a podcast someday
