First and foremost, when you are playing your respective sport (and quite frankly anything in life), you must be comfortable and confident. If you are not comfortable or confident, you are already losing half of the battle before it even starts. I would be lying to you if I told you that I have never let the nerves overwhelm me; and force me to make mistakes. There were plenty of times when i would get those “butterflies” in my stomach that i could not seem to shake off. And, then anxiety starts to kick in. Breathing gets heavier and the heart starts beating faster; doubting your approach and/or game plan. Even worse, sometimes when overwhelmed by anxiety, I would make a mistake by making a bad decision and then completely unravel losing belief in myself. The wheels would fall off the wagon and let that mistake dictate the remainder of my game; and/or my day. I wanted to do well so badly and so passionately that I would always want to force things to happen. Often, being my demise.

Even now in the corporate world I often find myself under stressful situations. Sometimes even a little overwhelming. The pressure that one often finds ourselves under never stops; it only bounces off to different aspects of our lives. Work, finances, sports, relationships. At many points in your life you will experience pressure situations when dealing with those aspects. It’s natural to feel a mixture of emotions. You would not be human if you didn’t. The key is to learn how to control them as best you can during the task at hand so that they never overwhelm you and/or defer you from your approach. What will always help is to take a deep breaths, revert yourself an inspirational quote, picture the motivators in your life, or think back to advice that a friend may have given you along your journey. Something, that in an instant, will bring you back to your cool and collective self.

As I promoted through the ranks of baseball (whatever worth that means to you I don’t care), I did face some nasty dudes. And, if I did not have a game plan and/or a good approach at the plate, I was already losing the battle before it had even began. Hitting is an art form that not only requires technique, but It is also a psychological chess match against the pitcher; with combinations of pitch selections and locations. Not only must one make the correct decision, have impeccable precision, but one must stay comfortable and confident at all times to have success. The difference between a game plan and an approach is that a game plan is constructed with ones perception of where their best opportunity to succeed is. One can watch prior film of their performances, get instructions, and take mental notes along the way. An approach naturalizes and matures with countless of hours practice. The goal is to have both of those work in sync at all times where they become second nature to you. That is the biggest key to success. If you let your anxiety overwhelm you and get you away from your approach and/or game plan, most of the time you will lose the battle.

While technique is obviously paramount to your development as an athlete, and/or a corporate employee, very few talk about your psychological preparation. The processing/re-processing of your brain that takes place prior to you even stepping in the batters box, running the football, or trying to complete a complex project under a limited timeline. The adjustments that one must make in milliseconds to determine success or failure. To be able to analyze and dissect the functionalities and abilities of people and places around you at all times; to give one the best opportunity to succeed. If it sounds complex; that is, because it is. But, it is also an ability that every athlete and or corporate leader do at all times with such grace. They have the ability to control their emotions so much so that it never allows them to derail from their own abilities and mentality. Making them weapons. That is What I will call ones “approach”; and/or “game plan”. An ability that begins with ones hunger to succeed. And, It is attributed and strengthened by becoming a student of your sport, your craft, and and your life itself.