How Do Self-Limiting Beliefs Hurt Ball Players?
“I’m not tall enough,” “I’m not strong enough,” “I’m not fast enough,” “I’m not as good as…“
Have you ever caught yourself saying these things to yourself?
These statements are called self-limiting beliefs. Self-limiting beliefs will hold you back from progressing and hurt confidence.
You will never outperform beliefs about your inadequacies. It is your beliefs about yourself as a ball player, that hold you back from your potential.
How do self-limiting beliefs prevent you from achieving more in sports?
The answer is quite simple…
Self-limiting beliefs decimate confidence. No athlete would be confident if they fed themselves a daily diet of, “I can’t,” “I will never,” and, “I’m not.”
Self-limiting beliefs hold you back because you will not put in the work to accomplish the things you feel are impossible.
If you believe you can’t throw a slider, you will probably not even work on developing that pitch. Basically, your self-limiting belief of, “I can’t throw a slider,” translates into, “I can’t throw a slider today and never will be able to throw a slider.”
This self-limiting belief has totally eliminated the slider from your future arsenal. The reality is, if you continued working on the pitch, not only could it be an effective pitch, it might have developed into your strikeout pitch.
The interesting thing about self-limiting beliefs is that many of them are lies you tell yourself.
For example, where is the evidence that say you cannot make it to the next level if you can’t pitch 90 MPH? Has any player who was not fleet of foot ever make it to the Major League level?
Another self-limiting belief that is untrue is, “I will not be able to play baseball in college because I’m too short.”
Many baseball players have had successful careers despite being smaller in stature than the average player.
If Jose Carrera bought into the “size matters” self-limiting belief, he wouldn’t be playing shortstop at the professional level today.
Who is Jose Carrera?
Here’s Carrera’s story… Carrera is a 5-foot-2 shortstop who played at Manhattan College. Carrera was always told his lack of height would hold him back from achieving his dream, but Carrera refused to allow his lack of size hinder him.
CARRERA: “This game is not about size. The biggest thing you can have in this game is your heart, and the mental side of it. If you’re tough and you believe in yourself, you can succeed. That’s what I think.”
Despite going undrafted, Carrera’s belief in himself was rewarded when he signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees.
Carrera joined the Rookie League Gulf Coast Yankees and now has the unique distinction of being the shortest player in the Yankees organization.
So remember Carrera’s story and never let a limiting belief hold you back from achieving your goals.
How to Overcome Your Self-Limiting Beliefs:
What beliefs do you have about your game that keep you stuck?
Why do you think it’s true? Ask yourself, “Is it really true or something I have just bought into because of what others have been saying?”
Are than any examples of others who have succeeded in similar circumstances?
Then ask, “What could possibly happen if I were to change my belief, attitude and effort?”
Start developing a new belief about your ability or body type that gives you the mental edge, such as, “I’m one of the quickness players on the team.”
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How to Compete Using Your Strengths
- How to Best Focus to Help Your Team Win
- How to Contribute to a Positive Team Mindset
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