I Walked a Woman

The moment it left my hand I knew it was over.

I hadn't walked anyone in 8 innings of pitching (slow
pitch, co-ed), but as the ball arced toward home plate,
well, actually, away from home plate, I knew I'd walked the
batter.

I also knew it was a woman. A women who couldn't hit it out
of the infield.

I also knew we had a 6 run lead.

It felt like a giant hand was squeezing me. I was Faye Ray
to my emotion's King Kong.

"That was stupid," my Inner Critic (Charlie) said. "Don't
walk anyone with a 6 run lead, much less a woman who can't
hit."

"Thank you for sharing that," I said sarcastically to
Charlie.

But he didn't stop.

I wanted to do what I teach pitchers not to do -- speed up.
Just get on with the next pitch. I was conscious enough to
take an extra breath before the next pitch, but I really
wasn't back to "green light" status.

As the ball left my hand I could feel my arm was short.
Tense. Coming off my fingers the ball felt as if I was
trying to hang on to it. Like my hand had let go against
it's will.

Ball 1. Actually, Ball 2 since batters start with a 1-1
count.

The negativity juice was flowing through my veins in full
force now. See, our team is new, full of people who
"haven't played in a long time" (meaning they've never
really played) and we were 0-3. We were playing another
winless team and play a 4-0 team next week, so getting the
W in this game was vital.

It's sort of addictive, negativity juice. In a twisted way
it feels good to feel bad. I get to be sooooo right about
being wrong.

Is it that way for you? Next time you feel the negativity
juice flowing through your veins, notice if you REALLY want
to get rid of it or if are aren't too attached to it to let
it go.

(My next product may be Negativity Juice. Sounds like a
mult-level marketing product waiting to happen.)

Fortunately for the Jewish Community Center Fighting Crusaders
(my team), I did not allow Charlie and his negativity juice
to hi-jack my entire vessel. They'd taken over my body, but
I retained control of the bridge (my brain).

I stepped back and did my "yellow light" routine. I got
myself back on track and starting throwing strikes again.
But it wasn't so easy. Throwing strikes in slow pitch gets
you hit.

The woman I walked scored.

"Damn you," said Charlie.

But my mental skills levee held. I didn't lose control of
the bridge. I stuck with my routine. I kept throwing it
over.

An inning later our shortstop made a running stab on a
bleeder wannabe with the tying run on third to preserve our
victory.

Had I walked one more batter...

As I talk to parents and coaches signing up for my Baseball
Confidence Gym, overcoming adversity on the field is one of
their top concerns. None of the lessons they pay for
actually teach their child how to handle pressure.

You can get a step-by-step method for overcoming failure
and adversity at no charge, just for trying the Gym for one
month.

We're only going to let 14 more of the February edition out
that teaches you how to super charge physical work outs so
you literally condition yourself to be confident and goal
focused (a great program for you parents and coaches
yourself).

Get out of the stands and get onto the field at
http://www.BaseballConfidence.com/Join.html

Tom