Michael Jordan, when being cut from varsity his sophomore year in high school said, “I knew I never wanted to feel that bad again.” Most of us during our careers, athletic or corporate lives have witnessed that same feeling.
The real question is, “What did you do about it?”
Too often we fall trap trying to copy the Outcome of others, versus understanding what it actually took to gain the particular outcome. Example: Many view Tony Gwynn as one of the best hitters, but less seem to recognize the fact he made himself a great hitter by truly understanding what it takes to hit well, then worked at it every day. Every Day! He studied pitchers and was constantly talking to other players, both pitchers and hitters. He truly understood what it took to be good, so when he failed, he knew what to do to fix it. Do you?
No doubt Tony Gwynn was a great baseball player and from those who knew him, he was greater as a person. I will tell you, you are fooling yourself if you think he is your hero, especially if all you want to do is hit like him. It is important to understand, holding someone in the highest esteem is not going to improve you as a player. You just admire him! The ancient Greeks had a saying, “Tell me who you admire and I will tell you who you are,” but it won’t make you a better ball player.
- Maybe you admire Tony Gwynn or another ball player; someone playing in the major leagues today or a superstar from the past.
- Maybe you admire a coach; someone who believed there is more in you.
- Maybe you admire your parents; after all they were there when you did well, and during your difficult times.
I agree, admiration is a personal thing and confess these are mine, but it takes more than admiring someone who is great. It takes understanding of everything there is to know about this game, then implementing the same work ethic of those you admire. Denis Waitley, Writer and Motivation Speaker said, “The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.” Once you apply the same energy of those you admire, you will realize what it takes to be great is in you.
Matthew McConaughy [actor] identified who our hero should really be during his Oscar acceptance speech.
“…Now when I was 15 years old I had a very important person in my life come to me and say to me, “Who’s my hero?” I don’t know, I got to think about that. Give me a couple of weeks.
I come back in two weeks later and this person comes up and says, “Who’s your hero?”
I said, I thought about it, you know who it is, it’s me in 10 years.
So I turned 25, ten years later, and that same person comes to me and goes, “Are you a hero?”
I was like, not even close. No, no, no, he says, “Why?” my hero is me at 35.
So you see every day, every week, every month, and every year of my life, my hero is 10 years away. I’m never going to be my hero, I am not going to attain that, I know I am not.
That’s just fine with me, because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing.”
So, before looking for help from others you admire, gain an understanding of the game, then take a look in the mirror.
Learn to become your own Coach!
And Chase Your Hero!
Until next blog,
Al McCormick
