Why Giving Up Is Half the Battle—and It’s All in Your Head
At the beginning of the season, I was the relief pitcher. But I didn’t feel like one. I felt like a disaster.
My pitching was terrible. My accuracy was all over the place—balls flying high, wide, and bouncing in front of the plate. I knew I needed to work on it, so I practiced constantly. I threw pitch after pitch after pitch. I stayed late after team practice. I asked my dad to help. I even watched YouTube videos on pitching mechanics. But no matter what I did, I wasn’t getting better.
It felt like I was stuck in the same bad inning—forever.
Then came one of the worst games of my life.
I let up five runs in one inning. One. Inning. I remember stepping off the mound and walking back to the dugout with my hat pulled low, hoping no one could see how frustrated I was. But I’m pretty sure everyone already knew. At that moment, I wasn’t just mad—I felt done. Like maybe I wasn’t meant to be a pitcher at all. I started thinking: “Should I just quit? Maybe I’m not good enough.”
And that’s when I learned something big—not about baseball, but about myself.
The Real Game Is Mental
Baseball is tough, but the toughest part isn’t always the physical stuff. It’s what happens in your head. When you’re on the mound and your confidence disappears, it feels like your whole game disappears with it.
That’s where I was. I didn’t just need to fix my mechanics—I needed to fix my mindset.
Luckily, I didn’t give up. I talked to my coach and we agreed I needed some extra help. I started taking private pitching lessons. At first, it felt like I was starting over from scratch—but that was a good thing. My pitching coach broke things down: my grip, my stance, my leg movement, and how I followed through. But more importantly, he helped me believe I could improve.
Each week, my control started getting better. My pitches were landing where I wanted them. And slowly, the confidence that had completely disappeared started coming back. It wasn’t magic—it was just a mix of repetition, support, and believing I could do it.
From Worst Game to Best Inning
A few weeks after that terrible five-run inning, I had a moment that reminded me why I never quit.
I came into a game in the middle of the fifth inning. I had been warming up and felt ready, but I still had those nerves you always get before a big moment. I stepped onto the mound, took a deep breath, and focused on the glove.
Twelve pitches.
Nine strikes.
Three strikeouts.
It was one of the best innings I’ve ever pitched. I remember walking off the mound that time feeling like a completely different player. But I wasn’t different because I suddenly became “good.” I was different because I stopped letting the voice in my head tell me I couldn’t do it.
The Lesson: Giving Up Happens in Your Head First
Here’s what I’ve learned: giving up isn’t just about quitting the team or walking off the field. It starts way before that. It starts the moment you tell yourself, “I’m not good enough.” Or, “I’ll never get better.” That’s the real battle. And it all happens in your head.
The truth is, I came very close to giving up. But I didn’t. Not because it was easy, but because I realized I could still fight for it. I could still improve. The second I changed my mindset, things started changing on the field too.
So if you’re struggling—whether it’s in baseball or anything else—remember this:
You don’t lose the game when you strike out.
You lose it when you stop believing you can hit.
