Even I Didn't Know I Could Pitch Like That

Read the Full Newsletter Issue 2606

"The Greatest"
Song by Kenny Rogers - 1999
OverviewLyrics

Little boy in a baseball hat
Stands in the field with his ball and bat
Says, "I am the greatest player of them all"
Puts his bat on his shoulder and he tosses up the ball

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down
Swings his bat all the way around

The world's so still, he can hear the sound
The baseball falls to the ground

Now the little boy doesn't say a word
Picks up his ball, he is undeterred
Says, "I am the greatest there has ever been"
And he grits his teeth and he tries it again

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down
Swings his bat all the way around
The world's so still, he can hear the sound
The baseball falls to the ground

He makes no excuses
He shows no fear
He just closes his eyes
And listens to the cheers

Little boy, he adjusts his hat
Picks up his ball, stares at his bat
Says, "I am the greatest, the game is on the line"
And he gives his all one last time

And the ball goes up like the Moon so bright
Swings his bat with all his might
And the world's as still as still can be
And the baseball falls and that's strike three

Now it's suppertime and his mama calls
Little boy starts home with his bat and ball
Says, "I am the greatest, that is a fact
But even I didn't know I could pitch like that"

Says, "I am the greatest
That is understood
But even I didn't know
I could pitch that good"

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Donald Alan Jr. Schlitz

The Greatest lyrics © New Don Songs, New Hayes Music, Gehrig Music

I tried something this week and it went astonishingly better than I imagined it would.

I was reminded of the line from the Kenny Rogers song above: "Even I didn't know I could pitch like that."

That got me to thinking about mindset for business, which is kind of my jam. How often do we swing and strike over and over, but we "miss" the recognition that we are doing something great because it's not the outcome we are looking for? What if it's because we fail to notice the positive in the outcome we're actually getting?

Many of the coaching conversations I have revolve around the client's concern that things are not going as they hoped. We pick things apart to assess whether it's time to pivot to a different strategy or keep up the persistence because the current strategy simply hasn't worked yet. That's a deeply individualized analysis, but it definitely involves a shift of perspective.

I'm keeping this week's article exceptionally short because I think songwriter Donald Alan Jr. Schlitz already carried the heaviest part of the lift.

What swings do you think you're missing that maybe you're actually pitching?

Whenever you'd like to talk, I'd love to hear from you. [email protected].

I leave you with these inspiring words:

He makes no excuses
He shows no fear
He just closes his eyes
And listens to the cheers [that only he can hear]