Episode Summary:There are only two things you can control in your life, and most people care way too much about things outside of their control. Learn what you can and cannot control, and get an action step to direct your energy towards what is in your control.

Key Takeaways:

The two things you can control: your thoughts and your actions
Examples of things coaches and athletes become emotional about that are outside their control in baseball
What is in your control versus out of your control in baseball and life
An action step using paper to identify what is in your control and cross out what is not

Q&A:Q: What are the only two things we can control?A: Our thoughts and our actions. You cannot control the first thought that pops into your head, but you can control whether you believe it, dwell on it, or let it go. You can control where your thoughts lead and whether your mind goes off the rails or stays calm and collected. You can control the effort you give in a day, what you eat, and what you do.

Q: What is the big problem we all face when it comes to control?A: We care way too much about the things that are outside of our control and do not do the things that are in our control.

Q: What are examples of things out of your control in baseball?A: How the weather is not ideal, how the umpire has a larger strike zone than you like, how the other dugout is taunting you, or even winning.

Q: What are examples of things in your control in baseball?A: How well you practiced, the effort you gave in practice and warm ups, your pre-game routines, how you controlled your mindset throughout the game, and how good of a teammate or coach you were during the game.

Q: What should you ask yourself in any situation?A: What is in my control in this situation? If it is out of your control, direct your energy towards what is in your control.

Micro-FAQ:Q: Can you control the first thought that pops into your head?A: No, but you can control whether you believe it, dwell on it, or let it go.

Q: Can you control winning?A: No, winning is out of your control.

Q: Can you control your effort in practice?A: Yes, effort is in your control.

Q: What do you do with things out of your control?A: Direct your energy towards what is in your control.

Your Challenge:When you come upon a situation that is causing you trouble, take out a piece of paper and put a line down the middle. On the left side, label the column out of my control and the right column in my control. Write it all out. When you are finished, cross out the left column and start doing the things in the right column that you can do to influence or solve the situation. From here on out, always remind yourself, I can only control what I can control.

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Control the Controllables