MESSAGE #1317 FIFTY OUT OF SEVENTY-THREE

Greg Maddux was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.

Maddux once left a game with a 2-1 lead, in the seventh inning. The reliever gave up a run to tie the game, which ruined Maddux’ chances of getting the win; frustration for any pitcher. But when Maddux was asked after the game, “How did it go out there tonight?” his reply was, “Fifty out of seventy-three.”

What does this mean?

It means he threw fifty strikes out of seventy-three pitches.

Maddux knows the secret. The key to being a successful is to focus on your execution, not the results. If you stick with your plan and execute properly, your job is done. The beauty of this is, you will get better results. On the other hand, if you focus on things out of your control, like results, the media, or the approval of others, you will decrease your chances of getting the results you want.

What was Maddux’ mantra?

“One at a time.”

How can you argue with someone who won 355 games in his career?

*BONUS FACT*
Greg Maddux faced 20,421 batters in his career and only 310 of them saw a 3-0 count (approximately one in every three starts).