Baseball and Life; Tied Together Like A Pair Of Cleats

By: Luca Gajovich-Protich

People constantly underrate the complexity of the game of baseball. They think it’s just as simple as throwing and hitting a baseball. What isn’t talked about is the struggle to stay mentally tough in the sport. The same goes for people who face adversity in life.

I have played the game of baseball from Little League to my final year of high school. Like in life, I’ve had stellar, poor performances, and the in-between. You only have one chance to play your best when you go out on that field. Walking up to the plate, you must maximize your opportunity to help your team.

There is no rematch. But there are ways to build off performances, just like people having lousy work and school days across the calendar. 

The great Babe Ruth had a great quote that said, “Don’t let the fear of striking out get in your way.” And we shall apply that principle each day that we are roaming this planet. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes as you learn from them. 

The decisions we make and the approaches to those decisions affect the outcomes of our lives.  If a hitter is ultra-conservative at the plate and barely swings the bat, they are likelier to strike out than get on base. The same is said about a guy having a crush on a girl and vice-versa. The fear they face is rejection. You will strike out on 100 percent of the swings you don’t take in baseball.  

Aside from the bad, we feel there are days when things can go perfectly, and we think nothing can ruin the moment. Perfect games are rare, but they do happen (24 of them). The baseball version of a perfect game relates to being hired for a dream job, receiving a promotion, getting into your favorite college, and more.

We can all achieve greatness. But at the end of the day, we must battle through adversity and obstacles to be what we want to be.