In sports, and in life, swing for the fences
Image by Sally Maxson Photography
“Who won?”
Wait ... what?
The kid wasn’t joking. Despite some obvious signs around him, he really wanted to know.
“We won,” I told him.
“Cool,” he said.
It was a pretty epic win, too.
Our little league team had just completed a furious rally to earn an extra innings victory over the first-place squad.
The coaches were jacked.
Parents were cheering.
Yet as we walked toward the handshake line, our centerfielder was still uncertain about the outcome. For real.
“Who won?”
Great question, kid.
I’m so glad you asked.
But here’s the thing: You’ll soon learn it doesn’t really matter anyway.
“We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t even like.” — Dave Ramsey
Class of 2020, I’m looking at you.
It’s August, I know.
By now, it must feel like 7,528 people have congratulated you on your graduation. By now, it must feel like 12,256 people have said “you will be stronger” by surviving the way your high school career ended. And by now, it must feel like 17,689 people have reminded you that your class is the ONLY one in decades to deal with such a mess.
But let me be the first to use a funny baseball memory to inspire you as you move into new seasons and new reasons to get up each morning.
Because life is a lot like a little league game. It really is.
So this week, as you draw one day closer to settling into a dorm, watching a Zoom class from your bedroom, or securing the first job of your work life, here’s a triple play for true and lasting success.
Believe me, I’ve made enough errors and wild pitches in my life for all of us. So trust me when I say you will be OK if you follow this route around the base path instead.
“The hardest thing you can do is walk as yourself.” — Actress Helen Mirren
1) Stop keeping score and just play — “Who won?”
“Really?” I thought. “You just played eight innings and you don’t know who won?”
But the more I pondered that question, the more I wished I were like the kid who asked.
What a great way to go through life. Just think how much more fulfilling and meaningful it would be if we stopped working toward outcomes and, instead, simply focused on COMMITMENTS.
I mean, does anyone really WIN? And if so, who decides?
OK, so you’re a noted researcher who has created a new drug to defeat COVID-19. Does that mean you beat us? Heck no, we’re going to cheer you on and hope you discover other ways to heal our ailments.
OK, so you’re an international businessman who used to travel the globe making deals. That’s not possible any longer so you’ve built a virtual platform to increase sales. Are we somehow trailing you? Not a chance. We’re rooting for you to create more opportunities for those who can benefit from such a tool.
OK, so you are among the fortunate few who discovered your calling early in life and you’re not only killing it, but you LOVE what you do. Does that mean we surrender because you whipped us by “mercy rule?” Not a chance. Give us a business card or send us the link to your website so we can support your efforts.
But what if that’s not you? What if you’ve been out of high school for a few years and you STILL have no direction for your life? If you feel like you’re behind in the count, let me play umpire for a second and call a timeout. Now step out of the batter’s box and repeat after me:
“I won’t chase money. I will pursue mastery instead. Because when I master a craft, the money will follow.”
Say it again.
“I won’t chase money. I will pursue mastery instead. Because when I master a craft, the money will follow.”
OK, now let’s say this.
“I won’t chase someone else’s dream either. But I will try it to see if I can become really good at it. Because when we become really good at something, it becomes more fulfilling to us.”
One more time.
“I won’t chase someone else’s dream either. But I will try it to see if I can become really good at it. Because when we become really good at something, it becomes more fulfilling to us.”
Ever seen a batter hit a ball into the deep corner? It usually bounds off the fence, then caroms off the outfield wall, then continues rolling back toward the infield — all while the fielder is desperately trying to pick it up.
That will be YOU if you focus on money or another’s dream. Both will betray you and leave you empty.
You have been uniquely gifted to serve and bring joy to the world as only YOU can. We need YOUR contributions, YOUR voice, YOUR light. When you dig in and take a cut from your true sweet spot, the hits usually come. That’s how life works best.
So, what is this sweet spot? Here’s a formula:
Curiosity + mastery + serving others = fulfillment and success
Stop keeping score and just play.
It’s so much more fun that way.
2) You’ve got to swing the bat — Nothing frustrates me more than to watch a player take a third strike. The kid never even gave himself a chance to get on base.
At least go down swinging.
Here’s what that means for you, 2020 graduates: Don’t leave your dreams in the dugout. If something is important to you, if you can’t go a day without thinking about it, at least make an attempt to reach first base. Then take your lead and race to second when you get some momentum.
Studies show that today’s teen-agers will have up to eight jobs by the time they are 30. The days of working at ONE place for ONE salary for ONE DREAM COMPANY are nearly gone. The business you’re working for in five years might just be an idea on a napkin right now. Conversely, many places that were open on March 10 are now out of business on August 6.
So don’t become fixated on WHERE you want to work. Instead, focus on HOW and WHY you want to do the work. We can no longer become complacent and settle into a life-long job. Be so good that others notice you, too.
Make learning a lifetime pursuit. Take an online course. Find a mentor. Glean from books, podcasts and videos. There is so much information available to everyone that it’s almost mind-numbing. And there is just the right amount for you.
But you can’t leave the bat on your shoulder.
Keep your eye on the ball, turn your hips and take a cut.
Even if you strike out, at least you went down swinging.
It may sting for a while. But there’ll be no regrets.
3) Put on your rally caps — You’re gonna need them.
Even though there are many, many more opportunities in front of you than when your parents left school, there are also plenty of pitfalls.
Write it down: You’re going to experience temporary defeat.
Maybe often.
The good news is that life gives us more than three strikes. Never confuse temporary defeat with permanent failure. Because it’s not permanent failure. It’s just temporary defeat. If you get called out, dust yourself off and jump back into the game and make a play.
I was told a long time ago that throughout all of our lives, we’ll be in one of three places — entering a crisis, in the midst of a crisis or just coming out of a crisis.
You’ll soon learn there is much truth to that statement.
When you feel as if you’re falling behind — and you will — please don’t quit. Keep hustling to first on the pop-ups. Take extra batting practice. Change your swing, if you must.
Just keep thinking “next play.”
If you are breathing, you’ve got a purpose. If you are breathing, you’ve got teammates who are counting on you. If you are breathing, you’ve still got a chance to round the bases.
So congratulations, class of 2020. You’re now in the on-deck circle of life.
I know, the future looks pretty confusing and scary right now. But eventually, the storm will fade. The grounds crew will lift the tarp. Plenty of family and friends will return to cheer you on. And soon it will be time to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park.
No matter what’s swirling around you, keep your eye on the ball and swing for the fences.
Even if no one is keeping score.
(Tim Kolodziej is the creator of EnspireU.com and author of this piece. You can email him here.)