I was awful, but I didn't realize it. And I always say now: the better I get, the more I realize how much I suck (and this blog just became PG). I think it comes from trying to compare yourself to those at the next level, and there was just so much room to improve. Baseball made me appreciate professional athletes. These people have devoted so much time into their sport, they have become freaks of nature. And this applies to all sports. One a quick side note, I hate people who say, "Baseball is the best sport because it teaches sacrificing for a team." That is BS, every sport has passing and elements where players' role exist solely for teammates. Think of the offensive line. Anyway, it's incredible how effortlessly basketball players drain threes, how precise soccer players place the ball, and how many balls fly out of the park during a batting practice. Now, when I hear someone bashing a professional, "Oh, he's awful," I just can't stand it. I know, compared to the average professional he might be awful, but even he is so so good.
Related to that, I learned how in order to improve you simply have to work hard, be disciplined, and there are no two ways about it. There are very few shortcuts in life, and most of us took them on the way home from school in third grade. You aren't going to get stronger unless you put in your hours in the weight room. You can't improve your swing mechanics without taking a lot swings, specifically focusing on the adjustment you are trying to make. Simply put, you want it? Go get it. I wanted to be really good. I can't say I made it, but I sure came a long way. I never would be where I am without the amount of practice I put in. (For a list of people who helped me along the way, ask me another time, there are way too many on that list. Oh, and G-d.)
I'm starting to feel like everything I've learned is related. Next on my list (which comes in no particular order) is prioritizing. Baseball suddenly became a central part of my life. A group of friends I used to hang out with, I stopped hanging out with. I have to stress that is was not a conscious decision - I simply realized one day, wow, all of my friends are baseball players. When it came to choosing hanging out with friends or getting your workout and swings in, I chose the latter a huge majority of the time. I had to prioritize according to what I wanted. Even now, that Baseball is just not what it was, I think I'm better able to look at my plate and know what is important to me and what can wait.
Lastly (or at least the last thing I can think about), I learned that in life you need to control what you can control and nothing else. In Baseball, you can do everything right, hit the ball right on the barrel but right at the fielder (sorry for the cliche). You just have to get back to the bench and know you did the right thing. There are several factors in life you cannot control, namely, anybody else's actions. There is no sense getting frustrated about things you cannot change. You need to apply your effort to things that will practically make a difference.
Now that I am more focused on a career and other aspects of life, part of me thinks about the amounts of money and time I spent on baseball and to an extent I almost regret it. But I think it was a blessing and really glad it all happened. These qualities have already helped me so much in life outside of Baseball. Oh, what a great game.
No comments:
Post a Comment