You can’t develop skills when you are selfish and stupid. Here’s how I define selfish, stupidity and skills:
- Selfish is a person who lacks consideration for others.
- Stupidity is knowing what to do and refusing to do it.
- Skills are things that we do well repeatedly without thought while under stress.
As a child, my dreams of playing Major League Baseball were clear to me every time I’d close my eyes. I saw myself signing autographs for fans and friends, getting game winning hits, and hanging out with my teammates.
My dream came almost true. I was able to play two years in the Chicago Cubs Minor League system, but failed to reach the Majors because I was selfish and stupid.
My mental hope of being successful was stronger than my physical work ethic, so when things didn’t go my way my, selfishness would show up. I would often complain and blame.
How about you? Are you a complainer and blamer when things aren’t going your way during the baseball season?
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, I had the physical talent to play in the Majors, but my problem was that I was stuck on stupid. I knew it was important to be on time for practice, respect my coaches, hustle and be a good teammate, but I often made the choice to be a jerk. That caught up to me at the professional level and cost me Major League stardom.
I’m not bitter at all. My trials matured me. They made me better and allowed me to become a Master Level Hitting Coach.
Have you ever been stuck on stupid? Are you currently stuck on stupid?
Remember this – Skills pays the bills, not talent. Talent is what you do well, but skills are what you do well repeatedly, without thought while under stress. Skills are developed by doing tough stuff.
For my clients, we use February through April convert habits to skills:
- Talent – hitting a ball hard
- Habit – hitting a ball hard six out of 10 times using a Tanner tee
- Skill – hitting a ball that hits a target 40-plus feet away six out of 10 times using a tee
For more information, visit www.diamonddirectors.com today. Also, check out our Digital Magazine, Changing the Game.
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C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an area scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 12 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and track record of success that can work for you.
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