It was a bright, sunny mid-January morning at the Yankee minor league complex here in Tampa.

I had grabbed a random catcher’s mitt and was sh agging BP for some big leaguers taking some extra hacks with a couple of other coaches.

Posada, O’Neil, Jeter and someone else were taking turns at the dish.

I’m in right center and a light breeze is in my face.

Jeter’s up, and airmails one of his signature drives to right center.

“Too high,” I thought, “he didn’t get it all.”

That means I should catch it.

It had been a while since I’d tracked fly balls from the outfield (or anywhere for that matter) and when coupled with the cloudless blue high sky and four World Champions and three coaches I wanted to build rapport with and gain the respect of made for a compelling moment.

As a highly educated sport psychology expert I immediately had a wonderfully helpful thought:

“Don’t choke.”

Well, the last thing I wanted was the ball to go over my head. That looks the worst. I can always go for the basket catch if I’m too deep.

So I stay put.

It keeps coming and coming. Floating and floating.

I just track it and track it.

I was still leaning forward because I knew he didn’t really hit it (or did he), but darn if it didn’t at least look like it was still carrying.

Yes, it was.

I was already standing on edge of the warning track (remember, better to have balls fall in front), but now I start to walk back.

I want to catch it, but not go overboard. (Perform AND be cool, Tom, that’s mature thinking).

I raise my glove, still walking back.

“Good grief, how far is this ball going?”

Just keep tracking, tracking, tracking.

BLANG!

My extended arm hits the 6-foot chain link fence.

RIP! the ball rips through some leaves on a tree that overhang the fence.

SPLAT! the ball lands in my glove, well above the fence.

So in real time that was: BLANGRIPSPLAT!

“Wow,” I thought, “that just happened.”

So I cooly wing the ball toward the bucket behind 2nd. And walked back to my spot.

TH 1, Jeter 0.

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The point I’ll make off of that is that there were a lot of factors that could be termed “stressful,” including how I was going to look to people I wanted respect from, I got a good result because I stayed focus on what was most important.

The Ball.

I had some bad thoughts. I hadn’t practiced, but I got the result because I stayed focused on the ball.

I spoke with a big leaguer yesterday about a great performance he had.

“It’s a testament to staying focused on the plan,” he said.

The money is in the plan.

And in a mastery of staying focused on it when the forces of evil (like your stats and how you look) tempt you to press for the result you want.

Sincerely,

Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
www.HansonsGym.com

p.s. You’re way ahead of where I was that day if you practice. I tell you what to practice and take you through practices in all my programs.

Get the one that calls to you today at
http://www.BaseballConfidence.com/Products.html

p.p.s. And please forward this to anyone that enjoys a true story.

BLANGRIPSPLAT!