Who are you competing against?

The definition of the word “compete” is:

“Strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others who are trying to do the same.”

“Mano a Mano”
“One on one”
“Me vs. you.”

This is the foundation of competition. This is the beauty of sport: to test your mettle against someone else who is roughly of equal talent. This is where we find out what we are made of. It’s where the rubber meets the road.

Now that we have established the definition, let’s focus on one word in the above definition:

“Others.”

This implies we are externally competing with an adversary. Competing isn’t an internal battle with oneself; it’s an external battle against an opponent.

In my experience playing and coaching professionally for 23 years, most hitters in the batter’s box are competing against themselves. They are competing with their bodies and where those body parts are in space. They are competing with their internal negative thoughts, fears, doubts, and anxieties. They are competing against the past and the future simultaneously. I know this because I’ve been there a thousand times.

It wasn’t until I realized, Hey, there’s a guy standing out there, and he’s trying to take food off my wife and kids’ table, that I started to fix my mind on the external competition and not the internal noise. I began to lock eyes with my adversary and see him as my enemy, rather than focusing on my swing.

There is scientific data that proves our senses improve, our reactions accelerate, and our strength increases when we make eye contact with a threat. Why not use those scientific superpowers to your advantage? Look that pitcher straight in the eye and throw down!

Notice his facial features. What kind of nose does he have? What color are his eyes? Has he shaved? It may seem trivial, but you can’t be internal (less athletic and explosive) when you are gathering external cues (more instinctual and natural).

One of the most important ingredients to being a high-level hitter (maybe the most important) is competitiveness. The batter’s box is a battleground that requires a fighting spirit and tenacity. It’s a boxing match where you don’t actually touch each other. I urge you to start seeing it that way. Being present, engaged, and external with your thoughts is the most dangerous frame of mind a hitter can be in.

Be aware of your thoughts and who you are competing with. If not, be prepared to get knocked in the mouth!

Engage
Compete
Repeat

See ya on down the road,

Chase Lambin