6 Life Lessons Baseball Teaches Us

Life lessons are learned in a variety of different ways, but there is no better teacher than America's pastime (besides one's parents, of course). Sports, especially baseball, aren't just for teaching young adults about the fundamentals of a game or how to turn two on defense. Younger athletes are very impressionable, and the sooner they start to learn life's most valuable lessons, the better. Here's how baseball helps.  As an athlete progresses through their baseball journey, the hope is they become not only a better player but a better human being. Baseball can and does instill these life lessons. These are the top life lessons learned from baseball in no particular order as each one is equally important to the growth and development of all players on and off the field. 

Teamwork

TEAM.

T ogether

E veryone 

A chieves 

M ore.

Without sounding too cliche, teamwork makes the dream work and with teamwork comes accountability. Baseball requires everyone on a team to be on the same page and to put in maximum effort day in and day out both on the field and off the field. In baseball and life, it helps if you have a group of like-minded individuals working together toward a common purpose in comparison to a lone individual working towards the same goal. If one person starts to slack, the whole team deals with the consequences. 

Or, this is when accountability comes into play. Being responsible and providing constructive criticism are two key components of great teamwork. Don't wait for a coach to discipline you; discipline yourself so that others do not have to. Make sacrifices today for a better tomorrow. If all players on a team buy in and aren't afraid to confront and push each other to be better, the success will follow. If you have teamwork and accountability, high character humans will develop. 

Work Ethic

Talent and ability are nothing without work ethic. As the famous quote goes, "Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard." Those early morning weight sessions and late night practices after a long day shouldn't be the cause for a big sigh but rather an excitement to get better and improve.

If one learns to apply the work ethic learned from baseball to their daily routine, a better future will follow. If you attack the day with the same gusto and desire that you play with on the diamond, you will end up getting more rest, eating healthier, and living a better overall lifestyle. It's not always about the time and effort that is put in on the field or in the batting cage but in the daily activities that drive you. Push your body to the limits both physically and mentally.  

Overcoming Adversity

Overcoming adversity is a hard lesson to learn. Whether you like it or not, adversity is a big part of both baseball and life. The elite are the ones who don't allow adversity to get them down but rather push them to be better. There will always be bumps in the road and tough times. Do not allow them to get you down and never show your weaknesses. Body language is huge. When one learns to control their emotions and conquer their negative body language, stressful and high-pressure situations will be a cake walk.

The perfect baseball bat or softball bat helps minimize slumps and streaks, but remember that those bad times don't last forever. If you learn to overcome adversity, your slumps will be shorter, and your streaks will be longer.

Humility

A sore winner is one who gloats in the faces of others during their times of despair. Nobody likes a sore winner. Learn to win with class and lose with dignity. Be humble, respect others, and never stop improving. The moment a baseball star starts to think they can't get any better, they've lost in both athletics and life. If you think you're the best and never work to improve on your craft, somebody is out there who will surpass you. Never be afraid to ask others for help.

Coaches, teammates, and even parents are there to help you. Utilize your resources and pick the brains of all the people around you. If you learn something new every day, you'll never stop improving. Most importantly of all, being able to absorb constructive criticism without taking it personally goes a long way. 

Resilience

Baseball teaches all to be flexible and persistent. You learn to know your strengths and play to them as well as know your weaknesses and work on them. Make a mistake, learn from it, and move on. That is what resiliency is all about. Turning your failures into lessons and persevering through trials and tribulations, both in baseball and in life. It isn't over 'til it's over so push through until the end and see it through. Never, ever quit.

Keep your eye on the ball

If you don't have goals, why are you playing? Setting and achieving goals is the most rewarding part of both baseball and life. Everything seems to work better and go more smoothly if a plan of action is in place. Set your priorities and manage your time efficiently so that you can achieve all the goals you set for yourself. If you ever feel overwhelmed, break it down and take it one step at a time. Or, as you may have heard your coach say in the past, take it one pitch at a time.

Focus on results, not work. 

Bonus: There's no crying in baseball!

Have fun! After all, baseball is just a game. While life isn't necessarily a game, you still need to learn to have fun and enjoy the process. What do you think? Have you learned a life lesson from baseball? Leave a comment below telling us how baseball made you a better person off the field.

Or, if you have any baseball bat specific questions, please feel free to give our friendly Bat Experts a call at (866-321-2287). You can also shoot them an email at experts@justbats.com or click here to live chat. Don't forget, we'll be here for you from click to hit!