Competitor's Devotion March
"Get in the Game"
Recently, I read a great baseball book authored by Cal Ripken, Jr. and Donald T. Phillips titled
Get in
the Game: 8 Elements of Perseverance That Make the Difference. I consider Cal Ripken, Jr. to be one of my
favorite childhood heroes and this view is likely shared by millions of devoted fans of the original Iron Man in
baseball. This month, I thought I would share these 8 elements from Cal's book and hopefully give you some
encouragement as you prepare your teams for the upcoming season.
8 Elements of Perseverance That Make the Difference
1. The Right Values
In order to be successful and persevere in anything, it all starts with the right values. You do
the hard work. You do it with excellence. You are honest, sincere, and you give it your all.
2. A Strong Will to Succeed
Be willing to swing at a bad pitch. To
succeed, you can’t be afraid to fail. Turn a negative into a positive.
3. Love what you do
The secret to happiness is not in the money you make. It is in the quality of your work and how it makes
you feel.
4.
Preparation
Consistency comes from preparation. The ability to perform consistently with excellence is a result of
both physical and mental preparation. Perfect practice makes perfect.
5. Anticipation
The beauty of baseball is that, even when you lose one, there’s optimism about the next day. My father
used to say it all the time, ”keep your chin up, kid. There’s another game tomorrow.”
6.
Trusting Relationships
Money isn’t everything. Living where you
want to live, being part of a great organization, and maintaining long-term relationships are the most important
elements of personal happiness.
7.
Life Management
There is a direct connection between physical fitness and mental
strength. The secret to everything you do is between your ears.
8.
The Courage of
Your Convictions
When you believe in something and you think it is right, you have to be
strong enough to have the courage to stand up for it.
Cal Ripken, Jr. 
Number 8 on this list is especially true for me. I believe if you are not willing to stand up for what you believe, then you will likely fall for anything. Maybe you feel like God is calling you to do something new that would require you to trust him. Are you debating whether or not you should take that step of faith, or whether you should wait until you can see clearly how to do what God is asking you to do? Maybe the answer is not clear by design because God wants us to trust in Him and not in our own abilities. Sometimes you just have to step out in faith and the Lord will provide you with the resources you need to accomplish whatever it is He is leading you to do. "Whatever He says to you, do it" John 2:5. Trust in Him.
I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book when Cal wrote about taking a conservative approach to an All-Star game so that he would not make any mistakes:
"To succeed, you have to be willing to take a chance. You can't be afraid to swing at a pitch in the dirt, because, after all, that's part of hitting. I finally realized that to succeed I couldn't be afraid to fail. I had to throw caution to the wind and go for it. That's what getting in the game really means, I believe."
Finish Strong,
Coach Mike
