All things are new. Every one gets a fresh start. Every one has high hopes. It's a great day.
But most every one's hopes are unrealistic. Sorry to be a party pooper, but it's true. It's true because hoping is different than believing.
To the prepared, Opening Day is an opportunity to finally start putting it all together. We are excited because we are ready. We are confident. It's the beginning of a long journey, but we know in our gut that we have what it takes to get there. We know because we have developing that "it" for a long time.
Confidence comes primarily from preparation ... then then from previous successes ... which, in turn, were based upon preparation.
As for us, we've been preparing for Opening Day since June, back in the summer Cooper League. We've been building, conditioning, selling, working, sweating, learning how we play and why, addressing the truth about where we are ... all in preparation to be better than ever in 2012.
If the foregoing paragraph describes some one other than you (and let's be honest, it describes none of us perfectly as we all miss the mark at times) then it's time to take stock and see where you are. You can start over right now.
The beauty of baseball ... and life ... is that each day is, in a sense, it's own Opening Day. We have the opportunity to prepare for and live each day and game to our absolute best. Prepare smart. Learn from mistakes, and work deliberately on those things we need to improve. We can, and will, continue to grow and improve greatly both as individuals and as a team in 2012. I love watching this process come together each year.
The key to our success will be the following: Keep your eyes on your personal progress each day. Shrink your areas of weakness and deepen strengths by working on your own. Keep the mindset of a learner. Stay humble and go above and beyond expectations of you personally each day. Decide that nothing will keep you from getting better each day and having the baseball season of your life. Nothing. If we do this as individuals, our team results will take care of themselves.
Remember the Championship Path.
If we do this, then we can (and will) go from hope to confidence.
And remember ... a baseball season is indeed a path, a journey. It's one step, one day at a time. There will be times and days when you are tempted to give in, or where it looks like the journey is heading south. That's baseball, and that's life. But keep at it. Keep focused on what you can personally do, this hour, this minute, this play. Then do it. Then do it again ... but better this time.
Time to get started.
It's Opening Day.
See you on the field,
