Grit - One of Baseball’s Greatest Lessons

In business culture today, grit is touted as one of the ultimate predictors of success. In fact, Angela Duckworth wrote a New York Times Bestseller - Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance on the topic of grit and how it is often a predictor of success.

So if grit is so important to success in life - how do we instill grit in the next generation - particularly in today’s society where most parents do not want to see their children uncomfortable - let alone endure the pain and suffering from failure.

Baseball coached, played and supported right - is the ultimate training ground for grit. Baseball is a game full of passionate people - that by nature of the game - the very best players will fail more than they succeed.

No where in the game of baseball is the need for grit more exemplified than hitting - the ultimate confrontation.

In order to be a good hitter, a player must train 5 to 6 days a week - studying the right mindset to develop intent, train strength and posture to allow his body the ability to move correctly and practice hitting through a series of drills that creates the right movement patterns and timing.

All of this work put in and the best hitters will be successful 3 out of 10 times - failing 7 times!

Failure will naturally come to even the best hitters because a pitcher is training just as hard to beat the hitter by disrupting his timing through change of speeds, location and ball movement. If that is not enough, a defense is practicing just as hard to perfect their craft and not only make routine plays - but spectacular plays to rob the hitter of success. Finally, their is an umpire that makes the hitter adjust to the umpire’s zone in every game.

The players that have success are the grittiest players. In a player’s quest to be successful and ultimately develop grit, the best coaches see the potential in the players and challenge them to become the best they can be. This is fostered through a competitive environment where players are pushing each other in practice on a quest to earn playing time. This is further reinforced through game play against competitors that challenge players to rise to their best.

This grit mentality is further reinforced by parents that expect their players to work hard to earn their time. When a player fails - parents interested in developing grit in their players do not make excuses about the coaching, the other players or the umpire - but they challenge their players to continue to work on getting better. This attitude reinforces the focus on the passionate and relentless pursuit of the process - the steps that need to be taken to ultimately become successful. All the while - this develops grit in the player - and ultimately creates a mindset that brings success in life.

Established in 2005, Hard 90 Baseball has a track record of laying the foundation to develop gritty players that go on to have success in baseball (over 350 players that have gone on to collegiate and professional baseball) and life. If you are interested in your player developing grit through baseball - check out our Combine for high school players and our travel teams for youth players.

The Hard 90 Mindset is an Amazon best selling book that helps athletes achieve their full potential on the field and in life beyond.