Baseball is as much a mental game as it is physical. If you think about it, even the best players only get a hit 30% of the time and this is considered great! Even Hall of Fame caliber baseball players know that 7 out of 10 times they walk to the plate, they will end up back in the dugout.
How would you handle your business or any dreams you were pursuing if you were striking out most of the time? Would you throw in the towel? Or would you keep walking to the plate hoping the next pitch was the one you hit over the fence to win the game?
In 2019, the Washington Nationals started their major league baseball season at the bottom. At one point, their record was 19 wins and 31 losses. I’m sure the season seemed to feel as if it was spiraling.
How did the Nationals handle their season spiraling out of control? Dave Martinez, the manager of the Nationals, stood in front of his team and developed the 1-0 mentality. He told his team every game is a new game. Take each game with the mentality of going 1-0. Baseball is a long season and when you play nearly every day from May to October, if you make the postseason, it can take its toll mentally and physically.
No doubt the Nationals experienced fatigue during this long season. Just like with baseball, starting a business or pursuing your dreams is a long season and can seem defeating most days. Every day you think, “This will be the day I hold the Commissioner’s Trophy up and celebrate with the champagne flowing!”
I must confess I am guilty of lack of patience and wanting things to happen more quickly than they are. I have developed this 1-0 mentality lately after hearing it referenced in a recent podcast. Did I go 1-0 today? No matter how big or how small, did I have a win today? And what is even more important, is the need to recognize and celebrate this win!
So, how did the Nationals season end after developing this mentality? Well, if you don’t remember they went on to win the World Series in 2019. They went 74-38 after those first 50 games, then beat the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card Game, the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, and the Houston Astros in the World Series. After all that struggle, they held the trophy and had the champagne celebration.
Today is a new day to start. If things seem to be spiraling, start with this new mindset. At the end of the day, ask yourself no matter what happens, did I go 1-0? If so, those wins will start to add up and you could be having your own celebration at the end of the season.
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