Last Saturday afternoon my son’s baseball team was leading 7-3 in the third inning. Both sets of grandparents were watching the “sure-thing” victory.
Two innings later, the game ended 11-7. The kids were crushed.
But their coach knew just what to say to lift their spirits – and I took note.
“Men, the best thing about losing games like this is you get to forget about them. But when you WIN – you get to remember those moments FOREVER.”
WOW. What a great message. Focus on your victories. Forget about your losses.
Two weeks ago when I was coaching a group of men and women in Phoenix, Arizona, I put everyone through an exercise where you go back into your past and find your “winningest moment.” Once found, you relive it with even greater emotion and glory than the day it happened.
Before doing this exercise, a 53-year old Canadian man came forward to tell a story about “the hit” he got in a baseball game when he was 12.
His team was down by a run – with two outs and the bases loaded. As he took the plate he overheard people in the stands saying, “Ah, we got this one. This guy’s our home run hitter.”
And he was. That year he’d slammed 14 home runs.
He swung and missed the first two pitches. Then on the third pitch he connected with all his might and the ball sailed into the outfield. Deep, deep into centerfield.
As he was telling this story I noted water in his eyes, 41 years after the fact.
I wondered why. Then he revealed the rest of the story…
The ball sailed and sailed. It was going to be the game winning walk-off home run. He would be the hero of the day.
But at the very last moment, the outfielder leaped high enough for the ball to hit his glove.
And caught it.
Game over.
“You told me you got a HIT,” I said “In the U.S. that’s not a HIT – that’s an OWT (trying my best to speak Canadian).”
The man smiled for the first time – but was still a bit choked up about his memory.
“How many home runs did you hit again,” I asked.
“Fourteen,” he said.
“Could you tell me about the best one you hit.”
“Actually, I can’t remember any of them.”
“Huh? You hit 14 home runs in one season and you can’t remember any of them?”
“Correct.”
“Well, your assignment for right now then is to remember your home runs. ALL of them.”
I then turned to the others and said, “And the same assignment applies to you. Remember your home runs – and create more of them. Stop focusing on the losses – unless you want more of them.”
Over the next few hours our Canadian brother began to recall his REAL hits – his home runs – and then he relived them in his Theatre of the Mind. And when he left the meeting he was all the better for having done so.
Focusing on your victories is basic and fundamental to your success. And like anything, the basics and fundamentals are the keys to victory.
If you haven’t updated and/or reviewed your WIN LIST – do so immediately. Then focus on your victories and forget about your losses.
The best thing about your losses is you get to leave them behind.
The best thing about your wins is that you get to remember them for the rest of your life.
Matt Furey
P.S. In Zero Resistance Living you learn how to focus on your victories in a way that will catapult you onto success, day after day. Year after year.
Discover how by going to here.