Outside the Box

Baseball as an “industry” can sound like an echo chamber.  Coaches and “gurus” say the same things back and forth, a little fancier and louder than the other guy, until they’re essentially screaming the same idea back at each other.  Very simple and effective concepts get lost in the noise, and players can get confused.

To gain some clarity and perspective, step outside the echo chamber and look into other disciplines.  You will discover fresh voices, speaking at a normal volume about their craft, offering insights you can directly apply to your game: mental focus, leadership skills, awareness and mindfulness, physical training, interpersonal communication, stress management, decision-making, balance and movement, and the list goes on…

An expert from another field may be holding the key that unlocks the next level of your game. You’ll never know until you look for yourself…

To get started, here is a short list of my favorites:

— The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, by Bruce Lee

— The Inner Game of Tennis, by Timothy Gallwey

— The Book of the Samurai, by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

— The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle

— The Art of War, by Sun Tzu

— Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell