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5 mental skills every hitter needs

Feb 21, 2024

 

New Podcast with Dr. Daniel Laby 

* Improving vision from 20/20 - 20/15

* Lasik surgery for hitters 

* Technologies to improve vision

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I’d first like to start by saying that I’ve been able to learn from some of the best mental performance coaches on the planet. 

 

This list includes 

  • Dr. Brent Walker 
  • Dr. Michael Gervais 
  • Ken Ravizza
  • Brian Cain 

 

I wouldn’t have the knowledge I have today on the mental game without these people. 


During the season, I tend to avoid talking mechanics with players. 


The one thing I do continue to work with players on is the mental game. 


I think it’s important to teach the players how their brains work. 

 

Heck, it’s important for coaches to know how the brain works. 

 

You have roughly 40,000-80,000 thoughts per day. 

 

That’s a ton of thoughts, but that’s not the craziest thing. 

 

Listen to this:

 

Up to 80% of the thoughts you had today, are the SAME thoughts you had yesterday

 

What! 

 

Wonder why negative tommy is always negative? 

 

Well, he’s just repeating the same thoughts each day, like the brain is designed to do. 

 

We all do this from time to time. 

 

There’s a name for this: 

 

Automatic negative thought

 

Here are several examples of having an automatic negative thoughts.
 

ALL-OR-NOTHING: They see things in black-and-white. If a hitter fails at the plate, they see themselves as a total failure. 

 

FILTER: They pick out a single negative detail and dwell on it. 

 

IGNORE THE POSITIVE: They reject positive experiences by insisting they “don’t count”

 

CONCLUSIONS: They make a negative interpretation even though there are no definite facts that convincingly support it.

 

PSYCHIC ABILITY: They conclude that someone is reacting negatively to them

“Coach is batting me 7th today, I must of of done something wrong in the game yesterday” 

 

FORTUNE TELLING: They anticipate that things will turn out badly, and feel convinced that their prediction is an already-established fact.

 

EMOTIONAL REASONING: They assume that their emotions necessarily reflect the way things are: “I feel it, therefore, it must be true.”

 

So, how do we break those autonomic negative thoughts? 

We need a system. 


1. Vision 

Before self-awareness, we need to know where we want to go. What’s this player’s vision for themselves? 


What’s their goal? 


Once they know their vision, it becomes easier for them to buy into what we are guiding them. 


2. Self-awareness:

If players aren’t aware of what they’re doing right or wrong, how could they ever change? 


They need to be made aware of themselves. 


One way to do this is to show their body language on video


3. Focus 

In a world full of distractions; they need to stay focused and not be sworn away by the shiny object syndrome. 


Examples: 


The player starts to struggle in the game and sees a new stance online and wants to try it. 


Can’t stop scrolling on their phone and wonder why they can’t be present in the box. 


Remove distractions 


4. Process Oriented 

Ask them how they view success as a hitter. 


It will probably be something results-based. 


Try to help them view success as something that THEY can control 


Example: 

  • Be on time 
  • Swing at a strike 


If you did both of those, you had success as a hitter.



5. Routine


We are creatures of habit. 

Let’s use that to our advantage


 

How they walk to the plate should be a routine. 

How they put their batting gloves on should be a routine. 

Why? 

Because the mental game is about being able to control your focus.

That's what we're practicing.  

We want them to practice being present in the moment so that when they step in the box, they are fully present and do not worry about anything else except the ball.

 

 

There’s 1 way I can help you 

In-season mental game training: 1-1 training with me to help hitters produce no matter how good or bad they feel.