5 Ways Hitters Struggle W/ Mental Game
Sep 10, 2024
Today, we will break down the 5 most common ways hitters struggle with the mental game.
I, like many others I've talked to, have experienced all of these scenarios throughout my career.
Most players deal with these in some capacity over the course of their careers.
Every player deals with it...
Let's dive in:
1: Fear of failure
The fear of failure builds up anxiety. Some hitters thrive on anxiety. Others fall victim to it.
They play the worst-case scenario in their mind, and then the dominos start to fall from there.
"If I don't get a hit, coach will never play me again."
"The scout there to watch me will leave if I don't perform."
I said this to a hitter recently:
"Once you realize that everything you're afraid of as a hitter won't come true, you'll become a different hitter."
2: Mechanics
Yes, mechanics are one of the main reasons hitters struggle with the mental game.
If you don't believe me, ask a hitter what they think about when they're hitting their best.
I've never heard a player say anything regarding mechanics.
Now, ask that same player what they're thinking about when they're struggling.
I bet there's a good chance it's mechanical.
3: Outside Noise
The most common reason hitters never reach their full potential is outside noise.
"Why aren't you swinging at the FB?!"
"You need to start your hands higher."
"What were you thinking swinging that early in the count after the pitcher just walked someone?"
Ironically, the "outside noise" is usually from people who want to help. They normally do care about the player.
Family, friends, coaches, teammates.
The main issue with outside noise is that the player can't try to make everyone happy and try everything.
If you try everything, you try nothing. You need to commit to something over a period of time to know if it works.
The one thing that is SO EASY TO FORGET the second you get done playing this game is how hard it is.
I know I'm guilty of this myself as a coach.
4: Identity
A few months ago, I had a player who wanted to attend a concert.
One of his family members didn't think it was a good idea because he was struggling at the plate and needed to focus on baseball.
I disagreed.
The second you make your identity as a person attached to this game, you start playing with fire.
There are too many things that are outside of your control.
- Hang out with friends
- Socialize
- Have hobbies
Find a way to escape the game so it doesn't consume every waking minute of your life.
If you do this:
- You'll be happier
- You'll play better.
This is the one area where I did a lousy job in my playing career.
5: Judgement
This is the most challenging one because it's built into our DNA.
Thousands of years ago, the biggest fear was getting eaten by an animal.
Now, the biggest fear is what someone else thinks of us.
I had a group of players recently and asked them a question:
What would happen if you never cared what anyone thought of you?
Who would you go to talk to?
What would you do differently?
It's a good exercise because planting that seed lets players start thinking about the bigger picture.
If players can overcome others' judgment, they'll set themselves up for success on and off the field for the rest of their lives.
Whenever you're ready, there is 1 ways I can help you:
If you're a player looking for help in the college recruiting process, I recommend signing up for a time to speak with me to see if we can work together.