Consistency

I continue to get some great ideas for blog topics from friends and interested Passion for Pitching followers.  This blog is going to continue with that theme and so I took this idea from my good friend Christine Meyer.  She happens to be a tremendous life coach in the lovely state of Pennsylvania.  We have great conversations on a regular basis and she is able to challenge my thought process over and over.  The topic she wanted me to discuss was consistency.  So this will be blog #2 in the series of blogs I am responding to from you guys out there.  How can a pitcher become consistent? 

Consistency is the key to pitching success, bar none.  At any age, if you can produce consistent results on an outing to outing basis you will be a big league pitcher, no question.  Seems easy, right??  Produce consistent results and POOF, there you are, in the big leagues.  Ok, so if it seems so easy, why is it so tough?  Why can't kids create consistency in their outings over and over and over?

I am going to try and make this as easy as possible, as clear as possible.  But what I am going to need from you is a little trust, a little leeway.  I want you to all understand that this process of success and consistency IS easy.  It is only a thought away.  Here is what I mean by that, the body is controlled by the brain.  The visual information that we take in from a moment to moment process is taken in, received by the brain, translated by the brain and then carried out via commands from the brain. (more or less, this is not a perfect description, but you get my drift)  If this is true (and it is) couldn't we add our thoughts to this as well?  Couldn't we say that the thoughts we think are being computed by the brain and then carried out through our body?  If you can get your head around this and start to believe it, then consistency is truly just a thought away.  The more we are able to think thoughts that are success thinking thoughts, consistency thinking thoughts, then that is exactly what we will get. 

Think of it this way.  If our thoughts can construct our reality then the more I can train myself, the more I can make good thoughts a habit, then a consistent reality is what I will create on the mound.  The more I realize that my current experience is being formed by the thoughts I am thinking from moment to moment then I will be more aware of my thoughts and the reality they are creating.  I then can realize how important my NOW moment is.  My NOW moment is all I have.  It doesn't matter what type of failures I have had or inconsistencies I have had in the past because my thoughts RIGHT NOW are what is creating my experience now and in the future.

This is big time information if you can believe in it and really embrace it.  Just think of the power you can have in your career, life, relationship, anything!  So what do you need to do to get started?  Well, I could make this into a long series of blogs and may do just that, but let me give you the first clue.  Start being aware of how you feel on a daily basis.  You don't need to get too crazy right now, just be more aware of how you feel day to day.  This is where it all starts.  Emotions are the key.  If you can begin to understand what your emotions are telling you and then how to direct your thoughts to improve your emotions, then you will be well on your way to the consistent career you are looking for.

I am going to leave you with that...I swear we will continue this discussion very soon but I think this is a good start for us.  So go back through and read this blog a few more times so you can truly understand the message.  Then I will come back and get more specific and paint a clear picture on the topic of consistency.  It may take a few blogs but it will be well worth the read.  Until then hope all is well and hope everyone is pitching their butts off this Spring!