I often attribute my ability to persevere in the face of setbacks and outright defeat to my life-long loyalty to the Philadelphia Phillies. Yes, we have had our moments of glory; the 1980 pennant and World Series title come to mind. But the Phillies also hold the record for the most games lost in baseball history - 10,232 games lost from 1883 to 2010. Baseball can be hard on fans, but it is hard on players, too.
Enter Harvey Dorfman, the mental performance coach hired by the Okland Athletics in the mid-1980s. This appreciative article marking Dorfman's recent death describes his mental coaching techniques for helping professional baseball players improve their game. They worked, too. The game is mostly mental, after all.
We can all hit a slump in our careers, creating a defeatist attitude that keeps us from moving forward. A good coach can help you work your way through the problems and come out a winner. By the way, the Phillies are leading their division this season, and I am extremely optimistic.
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