| If you are going to be successful in life, then you | | | | went from excitement and enthusiasm to dreading |
| cannot blame other people, circumstances, or even | | | | tomorrow's game. I went home after practice feeling |
| the tools that you use. Instead, take responsibility for | | | | pretty discouraged. I don't remember which bat I |
| your life by developing the skills that you need. | | | | used the next day when it was my turn to bat |
| Living here in Arizona, we have the opportunity to | | | | during the game, but I do remember that I struck |
| see lots of spring training games for major league | | | | out, again. Do you know why I struck out again? At |
| baseball. It's nicknamed the Cactus League and the | | | | the time, I was convinced that it was because I did |
| season is just around the corner. I love baseball, and | | | | not have the 28, Yogi Berra bat. But that is not true. |
| like a lot of kids, when I was growing up I played in | | | | The reality was that I was not a very good hitter. |
| little league. | | | | The reason that I was not a very good hitter was |
| Now I need to be honest. I was not a very good | | | | that I had not developed myself to become a better |
| player. I was fair at fielding, but pretty lousy when it | | | | hitter. I had not put in the time and effort needed to |
| game to batting. I tended to strike out a lot. And | | | | improve my batting skills. And while that new black |
| that is also how I saw myself, as a strikeout. As a | | | | bat may have given me a little more confidence, not |
| result of that mindset, I improved very little. | | | | having that bat was not the deciding factor in me |
| But one day at practice, the afternoon before a | | | | striking out. |
| game, we got some new baseball bats. I found a | | | | Having good tools are important. I think we have all |
| black bat that just felt good to me. I can still see it | | | | used inferior tools at one time or another and would |
| today. It was a Number 28, Yogi Berra. I just knew I | | | | certainly prefer to use the best tools that we can. |
| could hit with this bat. I believed I could. | | | | But blaming the tools that we use when we lack the |
| So, when it was my turn for batting practice that | | | | ability is not taking responsibility for our lives. You can |
| day, I hit the ball like I had never hit it before. My | | | | have the best hammer on the market and still smash |
| coach was really impressed. He finally announced, | | | | your thumb. Would that be the hammer's fault? |
| "Good job, Mike, you're starting the game tomorrow." | | | | I'll never know what would have happened if I had |
| Wow! Starting the game? Me? That had never | | | | used that 28, Yogi Berra bat in the game. I might |
| happened before. Only the best players started the | | | | have even struck out again using that bat! What I did |
| game. I was excited. I was thrilled. I couldn't wait for | | | | not realize back then was that it wasn't a good bat |
| tomorrow's game. I wasn't going to strike out | | | | that I needed. I needed to put in the time, effort |
| tomorrow. I finally had a good bat, the 28, Yogi | | | | and energy to developing my skills. |
| Berra. I could hardly contain myself. | | | | I'm sure Tiger Woods is very particular about the |
| But then, just before practice was over, one of the | | | | golf clubs he uses. But, if you're a golfer, do you |
| other kids on our team was using the 28, Yogi Berra | | | | think you could outplay him if he used your clubs and |
| bat. When he hit the ball, the bat broke. I couldn't | | | | you used his? Got the point? |
| believe it! | | | | If you are going to be successful in life, then you |
| I was shocked. I was stunned. What had just | | | | cannot blame other people, circumstances, or even |
| happened? How could this have happened? | | | | the tools that you use. Instead, take responsibility for |
| Suddenly all the excitement and anticipation for the | | | | your life by developing the skills that you need. |
| upcoming game was gone. In a moment of time, I | | | | |
