As I ran this morning, I contemplated a few curveballs thrown at me this weekend—nothing too dramatic, just the usual life stuff that has the potential to disrupt your best intentions. I had to spend a good part of the weekend decorating the front yard for Halloween and helping my daughter with a school project that she suddenly remembered. So, any self-improvement plans that I had were put on hold as I shifted to my attempt at being an amateur set designer and practical science expert—a curveball. I got to thinking: what sort of training does a baseball player go through to deal with curveballs? Perhaps I could gain some insight that I could apply to my life to better equip me to handle life’s many interruptions.
So I dove in for a while, trying to see what I could learn about the practice of successfully handling a curveball in baseball. Although there are some nuances, for the most part, sticking to the absolute fundamentals of successful slugger. That is the first lesson. In our professional and personal lives, we are tempted to correct course rapidly when we encounter a new idea or trend or hit our first obstacle. When we get thrown a curveball, we immediately discard the good practices we have established and focus on the current crisis. The first lesson to learn from the act of hitting a curveball in baseball is how essential the basics are and remain. Just because a curveball is heading your way is no excuse to abandon the fundamentals of an accurate and well-timed swing.
I learned several basic concepts of handling a curveball that I believe make a good application for how to deal with disruption in our own lives. Here are the 10 that I felt were the most relevant:
- Recognize the Spin: The first step in hitting a curveball is to recognize the spin as early as possible. Curveballs typically have topspin, which causes the ball to break downward and to one side. Batters should focus on picking up the spin out of the pitcher’s hand.
This is an interesting concept. From what I understand, this is also true of any normal swing. A successful hitter should always recognize and understand the ball’s spin as soon as it leaves the pitcher’s hand. When we get dealt a sudden curveball in our own lives, we should consider this first step as being valuable. Overreaction has always been one of my challenges. I will learn some new information, get some discouraging news, or receive bad communication, and my reaction is to melt down or throw up my hands in desperation. A good piece of advice would be to attempt to understand the unsettling new development and see it for what it really is. Rather than overreacting, you can instead deal with this new curveball rationally and with accurate perception.
To watch my video on dealing with curve balls, click here
- Maintain Good Vision: Keep your eye on the ball from the moment it leaves the pitcher’s hand until it reaches the hitting zone. Maintain a sharp focus on the ball’s trajectory and spin.
Staying focused on the task at hand. This is hardly mutually exclusive to curveballs. Rather, it is a life lesson we should all take to heart when dealing with our day-to-day activities. Rather than allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed or distracted by new developments, we should instead be mindful of what we have chosen to engage in and stay focused until completion. Think of all the time we waste worrying, contemplating, and evaluating when we could just be focused and accomplish the task in front of us. The faster and more efficiently you deal with a pending distraction, the less impact it will have on your life.
- Stay Balanced: Maintain good balance in your stance. A balanced stance allows for quicker adjustments to the pitch. Keep your weight evenly distributed between your front and back legs.
Here is that balance concept again. My entire life, people have told me that I needed to have more balance. In sports, in my life, and in my business. Being evenly weighted has a tremendous impact on your ability to react correctly to something when it happens. So, one of the best ways to deal with curveballs is to live a balanced life so that when they do come, you can handle it.
- Practice Timing: Curveballs often require different timing compared to fastballs. Work on your timing by tracking the pitcher’s release point and the ball’s movement in practice.
Reasonable expectations on the time you need to complete something are critical. If you are too unreasonable with what it will take for you and others to complete a task, then you are on the path to being overwhelmed, and that is not good for anyone. If you are thrown a curveball, figure out the time commitment. Then, you are better suited to make adjustments to your normal situation so that you can accommodate the disruption.
- Stay Patient: Curveballs can be tempting to swing at early, but it’s crucial to exercise patience and wait for the pitch to break into the hitting zone. Be prepared to take pitches if they are outside the strike zone.
There are two points on this concept. First, patience is a difficult but valuable characteristic. Your progress will always run into challenges along the way. Ups and Downs will be experienced. However, you can be a patient hitter and only swing on the things you can hit effectively. Second, sometimes, a curveball can be a good thing. We should not be so rigid that we miss great opportunities. I worked hard in my front yard and got to spend time with my kids while I did so. This was a great opportunity, and If I had been too focused on doing only what I had planned, then this would have been missed.
- Quick Hands: Train your hands to react quickly to the pitch. Be ready to adjust your swing based on the pitch’s location and movement. Quick hands can help you stay on top of breaking balls.
This is another concept that applies to all swings and not just curveballs. This reminds me that certain fundamentals will keep you alert, active, and able to handle important events in your life. We should never allow ourselves to let disruptions get in the way of focusing on the fundamentals that enable us to function. We should recognize that the long-term benefit of following good habits is vital because we instinctively know that, over time, we can lose our edge if we disregard these life-sustaining things for too long.
- Use Your Lower Body: Engage your lower body in your swing. As the curveball breaks, use your hips and legs to generate power in your swing. This will help you stay balanced and maintain control.
Further confirmation that sticking to our foundation of good habits will sustain us even through life’s worst challenges. Often, when something disruptive comes up, we will abandon our routine and deal with the problem at hand. As this advice indicates, we should focus first on the core of our personal strength. Then, we will have the capacity to deal with other challenges that arise.
- Practice Tracking: Use drills and exercises to improve your ability to track the ball’s movement. This can include watching the ball’s spin during batting practice or using a pitching machine with curveball capabilities.
Tracking our progress is key. Delays and Distractions will get in our way from time to time; however, if we keep our eye on the total performance over time, then we can really see how we are progressing and not get discouraged by a few setbacks that we face now and then. This is the long view, and we will never see a straight line up and to the right in our performance. However, if we are persistent, we will improve.
- Study Pitchers: Pay attention to the tendencies of pitchers you face. Some pitchers may rely heavily on their curveball, while others may use it sparingly. Understanding the pitcher’s habits can help you anticipate when a curveball might be coming.
Shouldn’t we always seek advice and guidance from others? Absolutely. Baseball players have coaches, trainers, and other influences on their performance, and so do we. Having people to talk through what you are facing can really shortcut the process of dealing with any challenges that may come up. Also, a study of others can help us understand how we can adapt lessons to our own lives.
- Mental Toughness: Lastly, approach curveballs with confidence and a positive mindset. Mental toughness can play a significant role in your ability to handle challenging pitches. Believe in your abilities and stay focused on the task at hand.
This is the last one and the most important. This is characteristic of all successful people and certainly would be our first and best asset when dealing with life’s many disruptions.
Conclusion
Life deals us Fastballs and curve balls. Sometimes, the cruel hand of fate twists life’s challenges in new directions. Still, with understanding, education, and example, we can control and direct the unwieldy problems of life. With the practice required in transformation, you can recognize the setback and stay alert to its dangers. You can maintain your steady vision and stay balanced against the overwhelming tides. Yet you can be patient with yourself and others, setting realistic timing for your goals and actions, and stay unswayed. We can keep the foundation of the good habits we build and track our progress, observing and directing our positive change. We can study, grow, and learn through example, and from the actions of ourselves and others, we can build mental fortitude.
The struggle is real. I have faced setbacks time and time again. Like a batter in training, we will fail, yet the practice builds our skills. With time, we will overcome life’s curveballs and turn them into home runs.
