Top Reasons People Succeed Without the Win

Let’s be honest—very few things in life are universally “fun.”

Some people will sprint toward the gates of an amusement park like it’s a national holiday, hands in the air for every coaster. Others would rather do literally anything else than plummet down a 200-foot drop. Some people crave adventure—skydiving, bungee jumping, zip lining—while others are happiest curled up on the couch with popcorn and a good show.

So what actually makes something fun? Is it the activity itself… or the mindset you bring to it?

Here’s my take: your perspective—not the activity—decides whether something feels fun, meaningful, boring, or unbearable. And nowhere is this more true than in pitching. Your Mindset at Practice Matters. Picture these two inner monologues:

Option A:
“YES! I get to go to pitching school today. I’m going to throw harder, spin better, mix speeds, and make hitters look silly.”

Option B:
“Ugh. I have to go to pitching school. Maybe mom will forget. Maybe we’re running late. Maybe I can get out of it.”

Same activity. Totally different experience. If you want to transform not just pitching—but anything you do—you have to practice one simple shift:

Switch from “have to” → “get to.”

Because the truth is… we get to do a lot of really incredible things we forget to feel grateful for.

The Power of “Get To”

We get to go to school—where millions of kids around the world would love the chance to learn.
We get to write papers—because having an education is a privilege, not a chore.
We get to practice softball—a sport we chose and love.
We get to train at pitching school—surrounded by other driven athletes chasing similar goals.
We get to spend time with a parent (or in my case, Uncle John) who sits on a bucket and catches while we work on the perfect spin.
We get to face the toughest team in the league tonight—and show off our new change-up or drop ball.

Imagine if every day felt like that. Imagine how different school, practice, homework, tournaments, and even pressure situations would feel. Here’s the part people forget: Fun and success aren’t linear. There are dips. Plateaus. Setbacks.

No athlete is perfect every day. No student aces every paper. No pitcher dominates every game. That’s why process goals matter. They let you celebrate the learning, not just the outcome.

Maybe you got a B on your history paper—but now you actually understand how our government was formed.Maybe you lost the game—but you struck out their No. 4 hitter with a filthy new change-up. Maybe you made an error or missed your spot—but you learned something you can fix next practice.

Pressure moments? Those are gifts disguised as nerves. Your pounding heartbeat is saying, “You’re in a big moment—lucky you.” Embrace it. That’s why you train. Dropped the ball? Popped up a bunt? Hit a batter? Fine. It happens. But you know what else happens?

You get to recreate that moment in practice.
You get to design a drill with pressure built in.
You get to prove to yourself that you can do it under stress.

Then, when it happens again in a game, your brain says,
“I’ve done this before. I’m ready.”
Confidence is born from repetition under pressure—not from perfection.

Fun Isn’t Found. It’s Created.

If you intentionally look for fun in the process…
in the pressure…
in the moments most athletes run from…

You will be happier, stronger, more resilient, and more successful—not just in softball, but in life. Because fun isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you make. And once you learn to “get to” instead of “have to,” everything—pitching, school, challenges, big moments—gets a whole lot more enjoyable.