PRINCIPLE III - There is No Such Thing as Perfect

Remove the word Perfect and the notion of Perfection from your mind. In practice- be it training or scrimmage DO NOT yearn for perfection. Get back to the thoughts on Excellence. Take, for example, shagging ground balls; step back from the statement, I'm going to make every play- I'm going to be perfect". Instead approach as you would in the game; (1)What's the situation? Balls? Strikes? Outs? (2) Where am I going if the ball comes my way? (3)Time to set my feet and focus.
Now you may just be shagging Ground Balls with the Coach not setting up situations, but Preparation- to each ground ball- is an Excellent habit to develop.
PERFECT is a dangerous word. Used often in the Locker Rooms of Athletes. It seems to me it is more often used as the carrot at the end of the stick than for being something actually attainable.
"Yeah, well the Patriots were perfect during the regular season." Well, I would respond with a request, "Define Perfect." I would further state that the Patriots were not perfect- they simply had 16 wins and zero losses during the regular season. But did they give up a Touchdown? Did Brady throw an interception? Now this is not to denigrate their victories or accomplishments. They are certainly and amazing team and Brady is a Hall of Famer but the word Perfect is foolish. That year for the Patriots; they excelled during the Regular Season.
"And what of a Pitcher's Perfect Game?" It is Highest Ranking of a Pitcher's individual Performance during One Game. And.....did he throw a ball- perhaps not locate eve one pitch where he wanted it to go? Is that one mistake show the performance as imperfect? But the Pitcher still undoubtedly was Excellent.
"So, I take the word Perfect out. How is that going to make me a better athlete?" I cannot directly claim it will. But it will improve your approach and, subsequently, your execution. Don't try to be perfect. Don't worry if others view you as imperfect. Just be. At the Plate, against a Pitcher with Top Prospect written across his forehead, you will be amazed how this mental approach comes as a comfort.
Sports, often in youth, comes with Statistics. I got X amount of Points or I went X for X in my at bats. One can get complacent in that way of thinking. And One can get lost in the demands of perfection.
TRY to Excel in Execution and leave the rankings and ratings to others. It is far more important the Way One Plays the Game than it is the Outcome. Now, this is undoubtedly a hard way to get someone to think.
I'll leave you with this; Perfect may be the Notion of the Masses but it cannot be the Sole Direction of the Individual Player.

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