Contagious Enthusiasm…

The truly great are positive thinkers… they are enthusiastic… and that enthusiasm rubs off.

One of the greatest parts of spring is the day baseball stadiums throughout the country open their doors. As the first pitch of the season is thrown, everyone still believes their team has a shot.

In Major League Baseball – as in life – the key to success is that belief. To be successful, belief is not simply wishful thinking, but a mantra which runs deep in spirit and mind.

To this day, the New York Mets’ 1973 season is still an unmatched testament to the power of believing. Their season started with great potential, but as it progressed, the injury list grew longer and their confidence took a nose-dive. Even their haplessly-happy pitcher, Tug McGraw, was in a slump.

Contagious Enthusiasm…

They are positive thinkers… They are enthusiastic… and that enthusiasm rubs off.

Twice during the 1996 Summer Olympics, Dot Richardson and her teammates on the US softball team had faced the powerhouse team from China. Twice, in key situations, Dot had struck out.

So with the Gold Medal on the line, it was high drama when the captain of the American team stepped to the plate – and Dot put her previous failures out of mind. Then she hit a pitch out of the park.
Dot’s two-run homer gave the US the win and the team the Gold. Her play didn’t just propel the team, it propelled the sport of women’s softball to new heights in the first Olympics where softball was a medal sport.