Being a one percent-er

This past campaign season, much was made of the 1% of people at the top of the economic ladder.  One mistake many of their critics make is having the belief that the 1% got to where they are by accident.  Surely some have inherited their fortunes from their ancestors

but most got there based on merit.  

It’s the same with baseball’s 1%.  Statistically, only one out of every 100 high school players will ever make it to any level of professional baseball.  Of course, if you look at how many actually make it all the way to the majors, the odds are much lower than that.  Like the economic 1%, baseball’s 1% did not get into pro ball by accident either.  I’ve read enough books and articles about successful people at the top in both baseball and business to know that there are similarities between the two.  Here are five:

Obsession with their craft.  A baseball 1%-er is obsessed with getting better and learning more about their craft.  Whether it’s hitting, pitching, fielding, or base running, the 1% make the time to learn more.  When most people dabble in various sports or in a business industry, the 1% jump in with passion and learn as much as they can.

Self-reliance.  The 1% in business and the 1% in baseball do not rely on others to get them to where they want to be.  They take ownership of their lives and never put their dreams in the hands of someone else.  They realize they will deal with all types of people, both good and bad, but none will be allowed to get in their way.

Overcome obstacles.  Most people face an obstacle and give up.  The 1% sees obstacles as an opportunity to grow and improve.  The 1% welcomes obstacles because to them it’s a test to see just how bad they want something.  Every obstacle is a chance to make an adjustment that will get them closer to their goal.

Sacrifice.  Every truly successful person on earth had to sacrifice something along the way.  Whether it’s baseball or business, the 1% realized at some point that acting like the other 99% of the population was not going to get them to where they wanted to go.  Most people are afraid to be different.  The 1% is not.

Work ethic.  Nobody becomes successful at anything without a strong work ethic.  When the 99% avoids boring activities or drills like the plague, the 1% in baseball and business know that the monotonous is often where the gold is located.  The 1% puts in the work and keeps on plugging away.  

I’ve played with and against many guys who had the talent to play in the majors but never did.  I also played with and against guys who talent wise had no business wearing a major league uniform but ended up wearing one.  A player certainly needs enough talent to play at the professional level but often it’s the attitude and the things listed above that truly make the difference.