Life Lessons Learned At The Ball Park

My son learned many life lessons at the ball park while out on the field with his team mates, and I saw many analogies for life unfold, simply by watching these kids play ball throughout their formative years.

Yesterday, while picking up tickets to attend a pro game on Monday - I was reminded of some of those lessons.

“When they start the game, they don't yell, "Work ball." They say, "Play ball." ~Willie Stargell, 1981
Maybe we should consider playing life…

What my son and his friends learned was that you cannot get to second base if you do not take your foot off of first.

Now isn't life the same? We cannot arrive at a new location - get the new career - develop a healthier body - or grow a prosperous business if we never leave our comfort zone. All of our new destinations will require us to leave the comfortable and the familiar.

We have all seen the ball player who is wanting to get to second base and is trying to anticipate when the best moment to run will be. Once this player has made the decision and commitment to go forward, beyond the first few feet of the bag, there is really no turning back.

He makes that decision not knowing if he will make it to second base safely, whether he will need to slide in or whether he will collide with another player. Yet, he goes forward because he has faith in the process and knows what his target is.

So if you are in the process of starting something new or you are in the middle of a major change, just remember that if you turn back, you will never know if you could of reached your dreams.

Make the decision to get to the next step of the process, the next stage of your learning, and once there you'll have gained clarity and you'll have a better view. The ball player can certainly see third base more clearly, once he has touched second base. Upon arrival on third, he can clearly see the home plate and can anticipate the run in - the cheers from the crowd - the high fives and that oh so good feeling!

Your desires, goals, and dreams will be a lot closer than you could have imagined with each step you take forward.

“ Hitting the ball was easy. Running around the bases was the tough part.” Unknown

Another thing that the kids on the field came to expect was seeing a coach at each of the bases encouraging them on, telling them when they should run, and how they could best execute their next move.

Today, grown men who are professional players, who have played the game hundreds of time, who know their craft well, and who get paid big bucks to play - continue to have coaches by their side. Why so? It is not because they are incompetent. As professional players they continue to be aware of the value of such coaches.

The coaches provide another set of eyes - a broader perspective, and a higher level of expertise and experience.

So why would you even think for a moment that you need to do everything on your own while building your dream, and not seek a coach, a mentor, someone who can guide you - encourage you - help you see further on your journey?

Do yourself and your life a favour. Go get the results in an accelerated way, by asking and seeking for the guidance that you need in your particular field or endeavour.

Mentoring and coaching will help you go forward with greater ease and flow. The cost of such help will more than make up for itself in time saved and errors avoided. I know, as I have moved through life without assistance and with assistance - the two cannot begin to be compared. So there you have it... something more to ponder...

Go out and create a magical kind of play day for yourself.

Your friend and mentor along the way,

Lynette Chartier

Lynette Chartier, Life Style Mentor and Successful Entrepreneur, is helping many become the next success story.