How To Make People Better
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Morris, the inspiration for the film The Rookie , was the speaker at a recent Accelerent event.
If you haven’t seen the movie, Morris was a high school baseball coach who convinced his team after years of futility that they were good, could win and should pursue their dreams. The team made a deal with him that if they won their championship, Morris would have to go to an open tryout for a Major League team.
The team won. Morris tried out for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, resulting in a 35-year-old rookie pitcher making his big league debut.
Overcoming life’s obstacles
Morris’ talk focused on overcoming life’s obstacles and living your dreams. He emphasized how important it is to remain positive, especially as a leader.
- “Everyone has got a different dream.”
- “You can live down to – or up to – your expectations.”
- “Surround yourself with people better and smarter than you to create a great team.”
When he was coaching, he did not allow negative talk in the dugout or on the field. After all, he said, “Nobody is trying to give up a home run, make an error, strike out or miss an important sign on purpose.”
Leading and Inspiring Others
His other emphasis was on unselfishness when it comes to leading and inspiring others.
“It’s not about us,” he said. “Ask yourself, ‘How can I make people better? How can I make people stronger?’”
And finally: “Dream likers want to see people succeed, while dream killers want to see others fail.”
Which are you?
