The Power of the Slight Edge

By Jill E. Wolforth –

For some reason, I’ve been on a mission lately to clean up the clutter in my house. 

Now, I’m not going to say I’m a hoarder…but let’s just say someone might make an argument for it. My biggest problem?  Paper.

I get behind on the mail.  Then I stack it.  Then I sort it into piles – “A” for the stuff that needs attention now, and “B” for the stuff that can wait.  But here’s what happens: the B pile just sits there.  Then it grows.  Then it multiplies.  And suddenly, I’ve got a mini-mountain on my desk…and on my kitchen table…and on my couch.  Ugghhh.

I finally hit the point where I said: enough. Time to conquer this thing.

And that’s where the Slight Edge® comes in.

What is the Slight Edge?

 Jeff Olson wrote a great book called The Slight Edge. The idea is super simple: small, consistent actions, repeated over time, add up to massive results.

Here’s my favorite story from the book:

A boy, frail and sickly, dreamed of becoming the strongest man alive. His parents, worried about his health, tried to temper his expectations. But he had a plan: push-ups. He could barely do one, so he started with one push-up in the morning and one at night. The next week, he did two in the morning and two at night. Then three and three. Week after week, year after year, he stuck with it.

Ten years later, he could do 520 push-ups at a time, twice a day.

All because he started with one.

So, I decided to apply that same principle.

Instead of trying to bulldoze through every pile in one exhausting weekend, I gave myself 15 minutes each  evening.

That’s it. Just 15 minutes a day.  First, it was the papers on my couch.  Then I worked on the table followed by my office.

And guess what? It works. Small daily effort adds up. What once felt impossible starts to shrink into something manageable.

This idea works for athletes, too.

Take a hitter. What if you added just 10 extra swings in the morning and 10 in the evening—every day? That’s 7,300 extra swings in a year. Double it to 20 each session, and you’re at 14,600. Bump it to 25, and now you’re looking at 18,250 swings in a year.

Tell me that won’t make a difference.

Same with weight loss. Don’t think about losing 30 pounds. Think about losing two this week. Or half a pound today. String those little wins together and in four months, the scale looks very different.

Bringing the conversation back to our athletes.  The question is simple: What do you need most right now?  More strength? More speed? Better recovery?  Pick one. Work on your backhand, your bunting, or your transition play in small, daily increments.

Whatever it is – Slight Edge® it. Ten extra swings. Five more push-ups. An extra 15 minutes of sleep. Small steps, every day.

It doesn’t take a giant leap. It just takes consistency.

Start today. 

** I’d love to hear how you’re putting this into action. Drop me a note or share a comment – I’d love to celebrate your wins with you. **

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Important TBR Updates

• TBR’s Fall and Winter Classes are open! Classes are held Monday & Wednesday and will run from September through January.  Spots are limited. CLICK HERE to download the registration form or call to reserve your spot. “Early Bird” savings ends at midnight August 31st.  If you have any questions email info@texasbaseballranch.comor call (936) 588-6762.

• Attention Youth Pitchers & Parents – Registration is open for our youth pitching camp! This once a year event, for players ages 8-12, will be October 4th & 5th.  Registration is open! CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

• Our Fall/Winter Elite Pitchers Bootcamp dates have been released!  These are great opportunities to take advantage of our world renowned training. Dates include:
  Aug. 30-Sept 1 (Sat-Mon) – 1 spot available
  Oct. 11-13 (Sat-Mon) Columbus Day Weekend
  Nov. 22-24 (Sat-Mon)
  Dec. 28-30 (Sun-Wed)
  Jan. 17-19 (Sat-Mon) Martin Luther King Day Weekend
  Feb. 14-16 (Sat-Mon) President’s Day Weekend
  To register or learn more CLICK HERE

Tagged as: Baseball, baseball training, Jeff Olson, Jill Wolforth, perspective, slight edge, Texas Baseball Ranch, The Ranch