Are you a PLAYA in business…..or just HOPING to be?
I love summer for so many reasons. For today let me tell you about one of those things that help me identify some opportunities for me and my clients.
Baseball – I grew up near Boston so as you might imagine I am a Red Sox Fan, Die Hard Division. (Is there any other?)
Some of my earliest memories of my childhood are sitting in a chair watching my mother clean the kitchen, listening to a Red Sox game on the radio. I was around 2 or 3 I think. I was hooked. And have been ever since. Thanks Mom!
Whenever I watch a baseball game it often reminds me of my coaching clients – all of my coaching clients. It also reminds me of some of my not coaching clients. Why you ask?
This little parable is all about HOPE. Hope is a really good thing to have, it really is. But I’m here to tell you that we have to do something with our hope. You just can’t sit on your hope cushion “hoping” things will get better.
99 out of 100 times you will get disappointed by just sitting there. I know this for a fact. I’ve done it a few times in my life and that is what makes me so knowledgeable about this. You see when I did this sitting on Hope thing, hope stood for;
Hiding
Out
Praying for
Everything
Ever been there? I imagine some if not most of us have been.
So back to my Red Sox parable. When I see David Ortiz, or Dustin Pedroria, or (name your favorite player from your favorite team here) stride up to the batters box, I can imagine what’s in their thought process. Do you think they are going up there, bat in hand, taking a firm stand in the box, staring down the pitcher, taking practice swings HOPING to get a hit?
Do you really think they are HOPING to get a hit? I don’t think so.
I am convinced that they are Looking to get a hit. Anticipating a hit, Expecting a hit, Finding a hit, Certain they will get a hit. They are NOT HOPING at all.
You see there is plenty of hope there in the stadium. All of the 34,632 spectators in the ballpark are filled with HOPE. That’s all they can do really is just sit there in their seat and HOPE the batter will get a hit. They are not in the game, so they are not a player and they are not swinging at anything. So I must extract the fact that HOPE is generally for spectators, not for the real deal players.
So it is in my business of helping people and businesses get some hits on their big green monster goals list and vision boards.
I talk to a lot of people about their businesses, and ask them straight away “Are you inclined to want to increase your customers or increase your profits from your existing customer base?”
Believe it or not about 40% (FORTY PERCENT) of them tell me some version of “NO WAY – I have more than I can handle now, I’m giving my customers away. “ or “ NO my business is just right for me the way it is, I don’t want it to get any bigger!”
I don’t ask this but I want to say “That’s so? Then why are you putting your business cards all around town?”
It’s pretty simple for me to tell the players from the spectators in a matter of minutes.
You see my clients have a certain attitude about doing things.
That is, getting things done.
They have what I call “Wantitude”. (As far as I know I invented the word a year or two ago.!)
I define wantitude as “an ardent attitude of want”.
David Ortiz has it, Dustin Pedroia does too. Do you? And are you willing to get back in there after striking out last time, or getting hit by a pitch and then swing for the fences?
Are you willing to stretch and grow your comfort zone and swing strategically, not always for the fence, but sometimes play a bunt to move something along. Or plan a hit and run. You know, do more than just flail at the ball when it comes, but plan what you will do with it when it comes. David Ortiz Does, so does Dustin Pedroia and I wonder if you do?
Is there something you have been wanting to do, get , go, buy, share, be with, go after, etc that could make a significant difference in your business or personal life if you did it, got it, went there, bought it, shared it, stood next to, went after, etc.
Think about it for a minute………………………can you hear the announcer?……….
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, welcome to Eyes Wide Open Coaching Park!”
“Play Ball!” – “Batter UP!!” – “Hey that’s you!!”
For me, I’ve got to go now, the Sox are playing the Yankees and I sure do hope they win again tonight!!
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I love this post Garry! Not only did it remind me that I haven’t played a fun game of baseball in years, but also perfectly painted my personality and attitude (“wantitude”) in powerfully visual analogy. Thanks! I hope this inspires some of the spectators to step up to be the players in their own lives.
Thanks for that Dmitriy – I am expecting that it will inspire others to grab a bat and swing for what they want. I agree with your assessment of having wantitude – You have it in spades, which is why we have such a great time working together!!
I did read this the other day and you told me the story during one of our sessions. I have used the analogy sending it fwd since. Seems the universe wants me to do what I do best and “just do it!”
My mind won’t rest long enough to let me catch up….. A great ” at bat” idea has presented itself to me and I’m swinging! I see a home run!
Leslie,
That’s great – I look forward to hearing all about it soon!! I’m sure it’ll be a HIT!!
Coach Garry