Below are some of the lines I wrote in 2022 that hit home for me the most. They are not Dickens-like, but thoughts that may resonate with you as they do with me.

In Pursuit of Perfection

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…

 

Charles Dickens’s The Tale of Two Cities begins with perfection. In the terminology I like to speak, it’s “Teddy Ballgame,” “The Splendid Splinter,” or “The Kid,” otherwise known as the “Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived,” Ted Williams, swinging the old baseball bat. In other words – Perfection, indeed. A perfect line has a way of saying it all, and at the same time, it suggests so much. It forces you to read on. As a writer, which I loosely consider myself, we strive for such genius.

 

OK, I know I’m talking the major leagues of writing, that would be Charles or Mr. Dickens, and the low minor leagues, me, Jack Perconte. In my defense, I believe it is easier to write expressively with fiction than with non-fiction. Turning concepts like success, focus, and courage into exciting reading as I try takes some genius; at least, that is my contention. So, “Take that, Mr. Charles!” The one thing I have going for me is being able to draw on my Major League Baseball background and marathon running, a perspective of interest to some people.

 

Like in my baseball career, it is about the pursuit, the challenge, and the enjoyment of the journey that counts, knowing that perfection will never quite arrive. So, with it being New Year’s resolution time, I suggest you take up writing in the New Year if you don’t already, and as I’ve found with running marathons, which I am not suggesting, it is most fulfilling.

 

The Benefits of Writing

 

Writing is fun; even if you never publish anything, it’s a task and challenge you are never far away from. The reason for the caution about publishing is that when you put it out there, the risks are high that you will get pushback from someone; it goes with the territory nowadays. But there are benefits. No matter what I’m doing at the time, I think of things I would like to write, and it takes the boredom out of the mundane. Additionally, it’s like being a ballplayer again – it’s all about the daily challenge of putting in the work and trying to improve, so you are more productive the next time. Best of all, writing helps to clarify “Me” and my thoughts, which are often confounding. The funny thing is that I am not much of a “conversationalist,” as I usually have little to say. But, when I sit down to write, ideas flow continuously and out of nowhere. Just me and one of life’s peculiarities.

You may get the same happy results. But, of course, your first thought will be, “Who has time for that?” Excellent point, but even five or ten minutes a day can be of benefit. Here’s the thing, writing brings out creativity, imagination, and other mind games that you may not think you had within you.  

The Challenges of Writing

On the flip side, not the most fun, but challenging, is figuring out how to write something the way you intend, having it make perfect sense and be close to grammatically correct. I’m always fascinated by the many ways you can say the same thing, and trying to get it “just right” is often frustrating.  I often rewrite a sentence repeatedly until it seems correct and then change it again later, and that’s the life of a writer.

For example, the famous song lyric from the play, My Fair Lady goes, “The Rain in Spain Stays Mainly in the Plain.” Of course, it has a beautiful, poetic flow to it, but it could have been said in several ways, like:

“In Spain, the rain stays mainly in the plain.”

“Spain’s rain stays mainly in the plain.”

“In the plain in Spain, the rain mainly stays.”

Anyway, you get the point.

 

Baseball life and writing go hand in hand in that being a perfectionist is detrimental, but the quest for better is essential, and I know success will never mean perfection. To further the point, writers must also figure out which word perfectly fits the intended purpose. For example, in the above example about the rain in Spain, the writer had to decide among the following terms instead of “mainly” – primarily, chiefly, essentially, and on and on. Mainly was the most appropriate choice, but there is no wrong answer. I get great satisfaction, like a line drive up the middle, when I call it “just right.”

Lines worth a second look

So, with that as a backdrop, I reviewed my articles from this year and the concepts I mentioned earlier. The following ideas felt like home runs and it was a fun exercise in this “Best of 2022’ time of year. Here goes!

Moving on  
Many players were like me at the career end and said, "What can I do that will give me close to the enjoyment that playing does?” The future is scary when playing the game is no longer an option. I got Lucky!

Reality
Remember, everything is a work in progress.

The Playbook
The game plan is getting as close to your potential as possible, not necessarily being the best.

Teamwork
Togetherness is power, and a more profound sense of accomplishment arrives when many contribute. The success formula works once it gets to the point where people willingly pick up the slack when others get derailed.

Leadership
We need leaders with unbiased views - those who believe in equality and justice for all. What is it about “All men are created equal” that people don’t understand?

Overcoming
In reality, life has always been trying with various issues of the times. Therefore, keeping a healthy mindset is challenging, and it does no good to dwell on the negative and fail to improve one’s circumstances.

Determination
Somedays, I don’t want to do something and prefer to join the party, but I know I can prevent self-disappointment by sacrificing now for the reward later. Making the dedication to your goal deep in your heart will make the sacrifice seem less severe.

Focus
Concentration can overpower nerves and self-doubts. It is not easy because it requires one hundred percent attentiveness to the “now,” but less than total focus means full potential will be compromised.

Perspective
Look in the mirror daily, smile, and say I am unique, and know that the world needs more unique people than stars.

Closing It Out
Ah, no escaping the toil and tribulation that comes with reaching beyond the point one ever thought they could go. The road is always challenging but finding a way and giving what you got makes it all worth it.

The Half-Full Outlook
The good news is that one’s analysis of an experience determines the success factor and that evaluation is under one’s control.

Integrity
Leaders are themselves in all situations and do not break, even when they must bend.

Daily Intention
I may or may not change the world today, but I “will” make a positive difference in at least two people's life, myself being one of them.

Aging
Of all my thoughts, the one that blows my mind is how fast 68 came. I could swear it was just a few days ago that I was in my twenties and roaming second base - living the dream. A couple of days ago, it was all about realizing there was more to life than me and was about raising a family. Just yesterday, the kids had grown, and my wife and I got reacquainted with the quietness. And here we are, ugh.

Embracing
Here are some mental prompts to “steel” the mind for the challenge ahead. Yes, steel is necessary, as with any mountain one tries to climb - there will be pain, frustration, setback, self-doubt, and sleep loss - but embrace one must – the reward of overcoming them is what makes it all worth it.

Making Your Luck
I often think back to how I made the major leagues and, to this day, shake my head in disbelief. Was that me that made it to that level? I recall many more talented players than me who came up short, and I thank the Lord for the result and the luck that came to me. But, the more I think about it, the more I realize my mind had a lot to do with bringing me good luck.

The Daily Plan
I will see each day as an opportunity to unite people and diminish no one. Few attributes are better than being a unifier, and little is worse than being a de-motivator.

Respect
Earning respect goes beyond the ballfields and business world, as one must develop it in all life situations and relationships, and it’s best when respect is a two-way street.

And so it’s on to 2023, which is hard to believe we are approaching another quarter century, but let’s all continue to look to be better. That’s my resolution this coming year. Happy Trails!