If you ask me, baseball is one of the most entertaining sports – after all, it is America’s favorite pastime. An average of 13.8 million Americans watched the World Series in 2014, so it looks like I’m not alone. Yes, baseball may lack the constant excitement that football entails, but that’s what can be appreciated the most. It allows you to take in the game without being interrupted by a tackle or interference every five seconds. As an entrepreneur, I’m constantly trying to learn lessons from anyone and anything and have found that oftentimes the best ideas are inspired by the world around us. I’ve learned some of the most valuable entrepreneurial lessons from watching baseball over the years, and I’m pumped to share them with you today.
Stretch before the big game. At the beginning of every workday, it’s important to stretch your mind and also your body if you’re feeling tense. Professional baseball players aren’t thrown into the game without warming up their bodies and minds, and neither should you. Whether this means catching up on the news, grabbing a cup of coffee or practicing yoga, it’s important to ease into your workday so you aren’t shocked by the pressure.
Have pitch patience. When you have a new idea for anything, it’s important to practice patience. Before pitching your ideas to your client or team, make sure you have prepared a convincing argument and are presenting it in a timely manner. Like the pitcher in a baseball game, you need to wait for the perfect moment.
Stay limber during rainy days. It’s no surprise that certain months can cause your business to see some slower days. This doesn’t mean you get to sit on the bench and eat peanuts. Rainy days and seasons are the perfect time for you to review every aspect of your company so that when business picks up, you’re ready to knock it out of the park.
Cover bases before sliding into home. In order to slide into home and score a point for their team, baseball players have to cross first, second and third base. If you are taking short cuts and think that everything will turn out as it would if you were being thorough, you are dead wrong and will soon be dead last. Taking short cuts and breezing over important steps is how businesses fail. If you want to win big, cover all your bases.
Have you learned any entrepreneurial lessons from baseball? Leave us a comment below!