Start Again

By Kolten Smith –

As I contemplated the topic for my final blog for the Texas Baseball Ranch®, the idea of “starting again” felt like the perfect one to discuss. If you have visited The Ranch, I am sure you have heard Coach Wolforth discuss this subject before. If not, it will be my pleasure to introduce it to you now and explain how it applies to anyone who wants to become the best version of themselves. 

We have all experienced situations and/or scenarios in life where we feel bogged down by something—whether it is baseball, school, work, relationships, or something else entirely. There always seems to be something going on that we feel is holding us back. While it is impossible to avoid this sensation altogether, learning to attack it head-on and work through it is an incredibly valuable skill. 

To start again, you must first recognize that every day is a new opportunity. Richie McCaw, the legendary former captain of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, would write “Start Again” in his journal every morning. He never took a single day for granted, even though he was considered one of the best players in the world at the time. Another famous example is Vince Lombardi’s philosophy of “resetting” at the end of each day. At the beginning of every practice, his players would review the fundamentals. You would think that NFL players would be long past reviewing the fundamentals every day—but it goes to show how important they truly are, even for the best of the best.

Now, this does not mean you ignore the good you’ve done or forget your mistakes. It is important to build on your strengths while learning from your missteps. The last thing you want to do in any part of your life is stagnate. A good baseball example of this is doing the same drill work over and over again. While repeating certain drills can help maintain your fundamentals, introducing new drills and varying your stimuli is crucial for continued growth.

So, how do you start again? The only person who can truly answer that is you. But I can give you some ideas to help you get started. Like Richie McCaw, journaling is my go-to. I aim to do it once a week, and do my best to meet that goal. It helps me process my thoughts and emotions, and provides me with something tangible to refer back to if I ever need a reminder of an event, thought, or other aspect. 

Watching mindset videos is also extremely helpful. Viewing one daily would be ideal—but twice a week would be a good starting point. They truly do help because they push you to think critically about how you can improve yourself and prevent stagnation. The short video I linked earlier is one of my favorites, but if you would like more, feel free to reply to this email—I’d be more than happy to send a few your way. 

As I begin a new phase of my life in a few weeks, starting again will be a very relevant topic for me. However, no matter what the future holds, I am deeply grateful for what The Texas Baseball Ranch® has taught me during my nine years—as both an athlete and a staff member. Coach Wolforth and Jill are the absolute best at what they do, and I have learned so much from them. Now, it is time for me to start again and build upon the great foundation TBR has helped me create.

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Important TBR Updates

• There are 2 dates remaining this summer to join us at one of our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamps and take advantage of our world renowned training. Upcoming dates include:
  Aug. 1-3 (Fri-Sun)
  Aug. 30-Sept 1 (Sat-Mon)
  To register or learn more CLICK HERE

Tagged as: Baseball, baseball pitching, baseball training, Coach Wolforth, Kolten Smith, mindset, perspective, Pitching Central, Ron Wolforth, Texas Baseball Ranch, The Ranch