I always here people say “I would rather be lucky than good”, and I always thought those were people who do not like to compete, but instead have things handed to them.

Luck is not a chance happening, as the saying goes “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. The big difference between the two is the latter acknowledges the fact that you have to put the work in, if you want to have success.

When I was at GRCC I was the back up 3rd baseman my freshman year, and I wasn’t sure how much time I was going to get. Then one day the 3rd baseman went down with an ankle injury, and my opportunity had come. Up to this point, I spent 1-2 hours per day lifting, stretching, and running on my own. Also, we had practice, so I was getting work in then as well. When the day came at Indiana Tech, I went 5-7 with two HRs and two 2Bs. Was I lucky? No, I was ready to play, because I got myself ready to play. After that, the other kid moved to 1st and I started every game at 3rd base.

At Western Michigan University, the same thing happened to me, except I was the 4th outfielder, back up 3rd baseman, and back up 1st baseman. A friend of mine and starting center fielder went down with, an ankle injury. In that time, I ended up starting in center for a little over a week. I played so well that when he returned, I stayed in the line up and moved to left field. Again, I put all the hours in during practice, and worked out, and took swings on my own. I was not lucky, I was ready to pounce on an opportunity when it arose, and that is exactly what I did.

The point here, is to never get discouraged when you are not the starter. I see too many kids stop working hard, and almost give up, and then when their number is called they are not ready and they fail. Why? Because they were not prepared, plain and simple.

Prepare yourself everyday.

I was always prepared.

my mental game was always sharp.

I gave myself the best possible chance to win.

I played every out of every game.

I was up when it mattered, and I failed.

my failure only motivated me to be better.

nobody ever worked harder than me.

If you can say all of the above, you will always be able to hold your head high. These characteristics create champions. Champions do not always win, but champions are always ready to go, and are never afraid to compete. Champions love the fact that failure is always an option, because they know the other side of failure is the sweetest taste in the world.

I’m tired

I can’t reach

My arm hurts

I sprained my thumb (Ronnie Lott once had a finger amputated to play in a game)

I don’t have time

My body hurts

I’m to old

I can’t wake up that early (you actually just don’t want to)

I don’t have time after work (But you have time to watch 3 hours of T.V.)

I don’t have enough money (last time I checked going outside was free)

I am afraid to workout in a gym (Go in your basement, Living room, or run outside)

It’s too cold

It’s too hot

It’s too nice to go to the gym

These are just some of the excuses I have heard, and a few I have even made myself at one time or another. The sooner you stop making excuses, the sooner you will start reaching your full potential.

Excuses keep you from becoming great

6:00am- Wake up and get dressed (workout clothes)
6:02am- Head to the kitchen for a pre workout snack)
6:05am- Warm up for five minutes (bike or slow jog)
6:10am- Stretch your now warm muscles
6:15am- Begin your fast paced iron pumping program
*set of lunges 20 steps
*Lateral raises set of 12
*Repeat super set 3 times
*Leg Lifts
6:20am
*One leg body squat (Weight optional-set of 12-20)
*Front Raises Set of 12
*V-ups
Repeat super set 3 times
6:25am
*Squat jumps (Set of 8-15 or until you slow down or lose form)
*Rear Dealt Fly Set of 12
*Russian Twists
Repeat super set 3 times
6:30am
*Jump rope for 10 minutes no rest (if you mess up, get started right away)
*If you have other cardio equipment that is fine, but do something.
6:40am- Shower and get dressed. Go to class or work with some energy

This workout requires simple dumbbells only. You will need anywhere from 5 to 40 lbs depending on your level of strength. All legs and abs are body weight only, and you will need enough open space to extend your arms in all directions.

Get up, get out, and move something, or keep making excuses instead of changes, the choice is yours.

Make a million dollars?

Become well known?

Become an Icon?

Make friends?

Be the boss?

Own your own business?

Give back?

Help your community?

Make money and help at the same time?

Become a Rockstar CEO

Here is the thing, it doesn’t matter what your motives are, as long as you are honest with yourself, and most importantly, the people you are trying to connect with. If you are who you say you are, and you prove that over and over again, people will begin to watch, listen, and even support you. Now, this may not happen over night, it may take months or years to build the trust you need in order to become what you want, but in the end it is worth it.

When you finally have the supporters/fans/followers/customers you want, you will need to continue to deliver on all the promises you made, and you will need to continue to be as honest and open as you were in the beginning. Why? because, what may take 5 years to build, could all be brought down with one deceptive, or not perfectly honest move.

Work hard, be honest, have fun, and pursue your dreams.

When people say they can’t do something, it is almost guaranteed they simply don’t want to do it. They are physically capable, they are simply not willing.

If I asked you to be a vegetarian for a year, you would say I can’t go without meat for a whole year. I would then ask,

“How do you know, have you tried it?”

You probably have not, you just are not willing to do it. If I ask you to run 10 400 meter sprints, you would say, “I can’t”.

I would say “Why not?”

I didn’t say you had to run them all under a certain time, and I didn’t even say you had to be done in an hour, but because you are not willing to push yourself, test yourself, find out what you are really made of, the easy answer is “I Can’t”.

The things you don’t want to do are almost certainly the things that will make you better, help you lose weight, live longer, sleep better, get stronger, and so on.

The things you can’t do are things you have worked hard to do, but just seem to come up a little short, but you tried, and hopefully you still are.

For example, I worked my butt off when I played to run faster, throw harder, and hit for a higher average. I ran sprints on top of sprints, then I ran stairs. I worked out hard, played long toss, took a million swings, and even skipped parties in which I knew my friends would be at, because I had things I had to work on, because I truly wanted to know what I could and couldn’t do.

After all that my list of “I can’t” is this:

I can’t throw 91
I can’t run a 6.6 sixty
I can’t dunk a basketball two handed (or at all anymore)
There are more, but I don’t want to continue writing all of them, I could, I just choose not to.

What is it that you cannot truly do, and what is it that you do not want to put the work in to achieve. Understanding the difference will help you understand what it is that you actually want to do with your life.

Go as hard as you could?

Play with passion?

Respect the game?

Respect your teammates?

Get the job done to the best of your ability?

let somebody know, good enough never really is?

Learn from a mistake?

Let one at bat be one at bat?

Play for your teammates?

Not worry about your personal numbers?

Pick up your teammate after he made an error, instead of using it as a reason you should be starting?

Put the haters in the background?

Motivate yourself?

Get mentally prepared to play?

Make it personal between you and your opponent?

If you can do all of the above, you may or may not be successful on the field of play, but I would bet on you to be successful in life. Isn’t that what really matters anyway?

The guy who hits a line drive and gets really mad when someone catches it?

The guy who strikes out after a ten pitch at bat, and gains confidence?

The guy who quits when his team is down by 5 in the eighth?

The guy who knows he will win even when they are down 4 in the ninth?

The guy your teammates can’t stand to be around?

The guy your teammates are always trying to hang out with?

The guy your teammates hope fail, because you are an “I” guy?

The guy your teammates hope succeed, because everyone else thinks you shouldn’t?

The guy who hits a ground ball to the pitcher, carries his bat three steps and then heads to the dugout?

The guy who hits a fly ball to SS on touches second base before the ball is caught?

The guy who knows he is the most talented and therefore feels like he doesn’t have to work as hard as others?

The guy who know he is in the middle of the pack, but works harder than anyone in the country?

The guy who goes 0-4, once he goes 0-1?

The guy who forgets about the outcome of his last at bat, because it no longer matters?

Why…
Not give it your best every time?
Do you make an excuse after every failure?
Has Qdoba made their burritos smaller but raised their prices?
Do people feel it is OK to give you unsolicited advice?
Do you not want to be up when the game is on the line?
Does failure scare you so bad?
Do you not realize your fears are paralyzing you?
Do you have batting gloves in your back pocket, and none on your hands?
Do you let your swagger speak louder than your play?
Do you enjoy getting 3 hits when your team loses?
Are you selfish?
Do you not realize that your selfishness hurts your team?
Does 90 feet seem so far to you?
Are you entitled to play everyday?
Do you think your scholarship guarantees you playing time?
Do people stop working when the results are not immediate?
Would I trust that you have my best interest at heart?
Did you stop believing in yourself?
Does it take hate and negative talk to motivate you?
Did you let others steal your confidence?
Did you stop playing in the 7th inning of a 9 inning game?
Do you always look at the negative?

How…
Do you work harder than anyone all the time?
Do you not stop trying to get better?
Are you so driven?
Do you stay so positive?
Does it not bother you that you went 0-4?
Do you push others do be better?
Do you have so much energy to give?
Do you have so much energy to share with others?
Did you get to the point where failure doesn’t scare you?
Do you know the right things to say at the right time?
Do you always believe you can win?
Do you make 90 feet look so short?
Do you not let the hate slow you down?

My hope is other people are asking you the question in the How section and not the Why Section.

If you are surrounded by people you always have to ask the Why questions to, you are headed for trouble, but if you have a group of people you can ask the How questions to, you have a serious chance to achieve greatness.

Workout when nobody is looking?
Workout when your friends are all hanging out?
Go to football or basketball practice, and get your swings, bull pen, ground balls in after?
Do one more set when you can barely walk?
Push through the pain, and pitch in the big game?
Push through the pain and pitch in a game that might end up being a big game?
Go to the cage when you would rather be sleeping?
Not let others dictate your work ethic?
Put it all on the line, when it really matters?
Respectfully call out a teammate when they need it? That is what leaders do.
Go to all your classes?
Study as hard as you practice?
Show up early?
Stay Late?
Work on the basic fundamentals for hours on end?
Miss the party?
Run even when it is raining? You are going to sweat anyway.
Take Responsibility for your actions? Not just the good ones.
Sacrifice for the team?
Play the role you are given?
Try to improve, and change your roll?
Catch every ball with two hands?
Run hard to 1st base every time?
Run out every fly ball?
Back up the plays you are supposed to?

What you are willing to do, will tell you what your goals truly are.

So if I ask you, “if you want to play college baseball” and you can’t answer yes to these questions, you might want to reconsider what you want to do.