Tony Gwynn shares what it took to become one of the greatest hitters of all time and how to master the mental game.
"It took me a while to figure it out, but after about 4 or 5 years, I started to realize that this thing was more mental than it was physical."
He didn't figure it out alone.
"Those first 5 years, I had great conversations with a lot of great players. Pete Rose, Willie Stargell, Henry Aaron, Mike Schmidt. I had a chance to sit down and talk to 'em - pick their brain, find out how they do what they do."
The greats learn from the greats. They never stop learning. They never stop wanting to get better.
"After about 4 years, I started to realize that this is more mental than physical. So what I need to do is get an approach that I think will work and then just trust the approach. Trust what you practice on. Trust it."
That's the key. Create the plan then work the plan. And when it's not working, you still trust yourself.
"During the winter, I can hit in a cage and be mechanically sound. But the first time I hit live in spring training, I'll be lucky if I get a ball out of the cage."
"For younger guys, that's a sign of, 'Oh, I'm not getting out of the cage,' so they try to speed things up, do things quicker."
Trust your approach and stay under control. Don't let frustration change who you are.
The game is mental.
The greats know that and they learn how to build a process that works for them.
They adapt as needed, but they learn the art of focus. Focusing on how to master and trust the process.
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Tony Gwynn went to college on a basketball scholarship.
He couldn't hit the ball out of the park. Scouts didn't see a star.
But he hit .338 for his career. Won 8 batting titles. Made the Hall of Fame.
His secret? A system he built from scratch:
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