I grew up in a baseball home as my father was a very talented left-handed pitcher who was known for his ability to throw a wicked curveball.
This post is not intended to focus on the sports of baseball or softball however, I will be using the ever so sought after curveball pitch as a metaphor throughout this entire blog.
So let’s dive into what makes up the curveball pitch.
First, did you know that the curveball, in the mid-1800s, was actually considered to be deceptive and dishonest? (make a note of this)
Second, a curveball is a breaking pitch that has more movement than just about any other pitch. It is thrown slower and with more overall break than a slider, and it is used to keep hitters off-balance (again make note of this).
When executed correctly, a batter expecting a fastball will swing too early and over the top of the curveball.
Third, when throwing a curveball, the main goal is to trick someone with something unexpected. (you guessed it, write this down too)
Now, you may not be a baseball or softball player. You may have never watched a ball game in your life. You also might be someone who does not even know what it feels like to hold a baseball or softball in the palm of your hand, but I bet you know what it feels like to have a curveball thrown into your life.
If I have learned anything thus far, it’s that you always have to be prepared for the unexpected, for those wicked fast curveballs to show up on both the “perfect” and “not so perfect” days. You have to be willing to make the choice to change your perspective on the curveball, to better understand it, so when you step up to the plate, your percentage of knocking it out of the park is much higher.
Here is what I have also learned:
There are way too many of us walking around making the choice to have a very negative and broken relationship with the curveball.
We choose to view curveballs in our life as things that will always throw us off-balance, that will only be deceptive, and that will bring forth dishonesty into our lives.
The reality is until you transform your mindset, you are going to find yourself fearing, despising, and possibly refusing to take action and control of your life simply because of the curveball.
So let’s step into the role of a baseball or softball player who continually steps up to the plate and gets struck out due to the curveball.
How do they improve their percentages at-bat?
What do they do outside of the game to become better prepared?
Again, this post is not about baseball or softball, so I will not get sport-specific about how to actually perfect one’s ability to increase their percentage of hitting a curveball at-bat.
What I am going to do is supply you with a list of how you can better and more confidently step up to-bat on a daily basis and encourage life to throw curveballs your way.
- Set aside your excuses and grow!
- When curveballs arise, practice decreasing the amount of blame you place on others. I get it, curveballs have this vibe that all they are going to do is ruin your day, week, or even year, but curveballs do more than that. Begin to look within and ask yourself, “What opportunity is potentially here that I can grab a hold of and learn from?”
- The only people who truly never overcome the curveball, are the people who do not make an effort to begin with. Do not be one of these people.
- Rather than giving in, tossing your bat, and pouting as you walk into the dugout, embrace the pain and work to move past it. Yes, this will be challenging at first, but you can and will find a way to succeed.
- Re-Evaluate and Shift Your Perspective!
- Curveballs actually can be blessings in disguise, even if it is hard for us to see that during times of uncertainty and change. When something out of the ordinary disturbs our comfortable, daily routines, we are forced to think about what exactly we are doing. Does it make us happy? Could we change things up to be more effective? Do we feel fulfilled?
- Ask yourself these questions more often and see what answers rise to the surface!
- Many times the reason curveballs bring forth so much discomfort is because we are not in-tune with ourselves.
- Seek out new solutions!
- If your current training regime is not helping you improve, then it is time to switch things up!
- Begin to think outside of the box, dig deep, brainstorm often.
- If the same or similar curveballs are coming into your life, it is time for you to ask yourself why and to change things up. Here are some ideas:
- Hire a coach! 1-to-1 work is highly effective!
- Join a group/community for additional support and accountability
- Invest in alone time with yourself! (ie: journaling, meditation, visualization, breathing exercises)
- Focus on what you can control.
- Invest in your health and wellness! (Exercise, nutrition, mindset, recovery, sleep)
Before you go, just know that I know how difficult it is to have curveballs thrown at you. I have had more than a few thrown at me over my lifetime.
Take my word for it and do not fear them. Instead, embrace them.
Pick up that baseball or softball and get comfortable with how the curveball feels. Then when you are ready, grab that bat and smack the ball out of the park!
Remember, not all the curveballs that have and will show up in your life are going to do harm. If I am being honest, I truly believe that more times than not, curveballs bring forth opportunity and an abundance of personal growth, self-exploration, and clarity.
So ask yourself, “Is it worth not even stepping up to the plate to bat because of the fear of the curveball?” Walk up to that plate with a fierce passion in your soul as you are grabbing ahold of the opportunity to swing that bat and trust your hard work and efforts that you have put into yourself so you can embrace the curveball.
Like I said before, you don’t have to face the curveball alone. That’s why myself and the rest of the Brute Strength team are here.
If you’d like the accountability and support of working with a coach, we’ve got several options to strengthen your mindset and overcome your fears and challenges.
Click here to check out our Mental Performance programming options and knock that curveball right out of the park.
