Does Having a Mental Approach Help Your Performance?

Does Having a Mental Approach Help Your Performance?

"Your mental commitment determines your physical action." - Andy McKay (Player Development for the Seattle Mariners)

For years many coaches and players have questioned the importance of a mental game program. Many believe that is it just positive fluff and that you can out tough-guy your way against your opponent. But while you out tough-guy your opponent, your opponent is in your head and is staying in the moment while you have thrown your helmet and bat. After that you will go out to the field and throw the ball angrily around in warmups, and you will be thinking about your last at bat so you won't be focused on the ground ball that is hit to you so you will make an error, and then you will be upset about that and your day will be ruined. 

The truth is, the mental game IS the biggest part of baseball. If the mind cannot see it, your body will not do it. That is just a fact of life. Our mind is the most powerful tool we have at our disposal. We must use it. We use our brain to learn, to remember, and to use what we have learned. So why wouldn't you want to use your mind?

I have never understood why the mental game has been frowned upon for years. It is just like analytics. Why wouldn't you want to know the tendencies of your opponent? Some believe that the mental game is making the game too difficult, but really the mental game is making baseball easier. What I mean by this is that if you have a plan and focus one pitch at a time, your focus will be on the current moment. Without a mental approach, your mind wanders. A mental approach also allows you to be relaxed and to just play. 

On top of that, a mental program will teach you how to compete. One of the most difficult skills that many athletes today struggle with is how to compete. With youth leagues giving everyone trophies, many young athletes do not understand how to deal with adversity. Adversity hurts and stings, but it is also the most important thing that can happen to you. Yes, you read that right, I said adversity is the most important thing that can happen to you. The reason why I said this is because we learn from our shortcomings. Nothing worthwhile was ever handed to you. Odds are these shortcomings will leave you wanting more. And as my high school baseball coach Steve Pritchard said, "You never want to leave yourself asking, what if?" Pretty powerful stuff.

What a mental program will do for you is break things down and let the game come to you, as opposed to you coming to it. A mental game program will allow you to compete and be you. That is the beauty of it all, there is no cookie-cutter approach to the mental game. It is all about you, and it will help you be at your best to help your team to victory. 

If I don't have you sold yet on why you should have a mental approach then this may sell you. A mental approach will pay you dividends later in life. While other workers are freaking out, mad, or upset, you will be calm and relaxed because you will be in control of your emotions. On top of this you are allowing life to come to you and you will be in control of your life. I am not saying a mental approach is a magic bean that will allow you success because that is not true. You still have to do the physical work. But it will allow the physical work to not be as frustrating, and make it more enjoyable. To sum it up, a mental approach allows you to remain calm, let the game come to you, and most importantly allow you to enjoy it and have fun.