Make Adjustments or Go Home – Your Choice

Make Adjustments or Start Looking for a New Line of Work

You will see this often and at all levels of sports - players get off to a great start, and it falls apart for them over time. People wonder what the heck happened to the budding star. It’s simple – the opposition figured out their weakness and exploited it. At that point, the players better have a counter move, or the descent to career end begins.

If there is anything one must learn early in a career, it’s the willingness to make adjustments that turn the tide in your favor. But, of course, this is not only a sports problem. In every profession, one must make the necessary adjustments, or there is always someone ready to take over your spot.

We used to have a saying back in my minor league days, “The major leagues are the easiest place to play, the hardest place to get to.” At the top level, the reasoning was that players have the best of everything – playing conditions, including lighting, immaculate fields, clubhouses, fan inspiration, etc. So, who couldn’t play well under those conditions? Yea, right.

I want to add to our saying after having experienced the big leagues, “The major leagues are the hardest place to remain.” Sports are all about making adjustments. Even when you get to the major leagues, one better adjust, or it could all soon be over. Second chances are hard to come by unless one is a budding superstar or bonus baby. I found that out the hard way in my first stint in the show. Let’s just say I didn’t adapt at the time, and things went south. It took a minor miracle for me to get a second chance, a story for another day.

Many players are unwilling to change with the thought of “I’m sticking with what got me here.” It makes sense until that proves not good enough, as often happens against the best. After that, it’s quite simple - adjust or go home. Players have the option.

I bring up the necessity to adjust with the recent news that the Marine Corp Marathon, which I entered and was planning to crush (Haha), has been canceled for security reasons. Bummer. Being too late to join another that fits into my schedule, I will run a marathon virtually for the second year in a row. I will begin making the mental adjustments needed to run alone and not among 30,000 others. The good news is I am used to that adjustment with the many times I was sent down to the minor leagues, crowds of maybe a thousand people, from the big leagues with crowds of 30,000. Perhaps that isn’t good news after thinking about it, I again joke.

 The following are the keys to make adjustments:

·         First, never think you know it all. Remember what the iconic John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

·         Be willing to change. Thinking your way is the best or only way can get one stuck.

·         Look to others who have been there before to find the answers – they are out there.

·         Realize change does not come easy but must occur with the belief it will be worth it.

·         Remember another tenet in the athlete’s handbook – “Regrets suck,” so do your best to eliminate as many as possible by trying new things when losing ground.

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