Earlier this week, I was on a call with Andy, CEO of Tanner Tees – a long-time client and creators of industry-leading hitting aids and training products for baseball and softball.
We were discussing content for an upcoming blog, talking about the possible factors that cause a player to enter a hitting slump.
As Andy explained, when a hitter begins to think too much about what they “need to do at the plate” (feet here, hands there, weight here…) they lose track of letting their muscle memory take over.
Instead of hitting the ball, they are caught [thinking] about hitting the ball, and… “YOU’RE OUT!”
Unpacking the above a little further, he went on to say that it is impossible for our minds to think about two things simultaneously. In this case, too much thinking about hitting, not enough hitting.
It occurred to me on that call that this same methodology works in all instances of our lives, not just those surrounding the home plate.
No matter how hard we try, we are only capable of thinking/focusing on one thing at a time (no matter how awesome we think we are at multi-tasking).
These concepts also speak to the benefit that comes from being truly present in the moment, when you are meant to perform, as opposed to learning to perform. In those instances, you rely on the expertise and past training – no longer thinking, but instead, acting.
When applying this in your day to day, ask yourself: “Am I in learning mode right now, or performing?” and “Does my mode align with my current situation?”
Becoming more in tune with these two questions and the situations that surround them will help keep you away from “slumps” – regardless of what field you’re playing on!
Thank you for reading (and to Andy for the idea) and see you next week!
