This applies to everyone, not just baseball players and coaches. We all have heard at some point that our words can hurt. Not only can our words hurt someone, they can affect how we are perceived by others. Our students who work through our “Life & Leadership” workbooks hear about this often. This also is a topic often spoken about in my own household.

My boys were at the park one day with a couple buddies playing football when my younger one came to me saying one of the boys made a comment about his catching ability. The kid who said it is a very nice kid and my younger boy (8) is still pretty sensitive. When we talked about it later, I tried to get him to understand that the buddy wasn’t trying to be mean, he was just stating what he was seeing. I’m sure how the buddy worded his comment didn’t come across the way an adult would have said it, but that’s to be expected from a 10 year old. The point I was trying to get across was that whenever we are thinking about saying or doing something, we need have better control of ourselves and think about how our words or actions will affect the people around us and how it might make us appear to others. He needed to recognize that his buddy wasn’t being mean, but in the moment, he made the wrong choice in saying the words he did. He obviously didn’t think about how his words would affect my boy.

As an adult, it still amazes me when I come across other adults that still don’t have what I call a “Filter” in their head between their brain and their mouth. This is the place where an idea stops and for a second and your brain decides whether it’s a good idea or bad idea to do or say whatever it just came up with.

I am very fortunate to spend a lot of time around some of the best baseball minds in the world. Guys who had great MLB careers. Unfortunately, with that kind of success, you often find big egos and with that you come across people who love to her themselves speak and feel that everyone wants to hear what they have to say at all times.

The best and most influential people I have been around are the ones who only speak when spoken to and only voice their opinion when it will have an impact on what’s in front of them.

Early in my professional life, I was one of these people with no filter. I would just say or ask whatever came to mind. I look back now and realize how ignorant and immature I was making myself look. My “Filter” was non existent. Fortunately, I have learned from my mistakes and am excited to be able to teach my students from my own experiences. It can be a tough lesson to learn but the sooner in life we learn/teach this life lesson, the easier we can make things for our ourselves, and our Dudes, later in life.

ALWAYS, “Think Before You Speak”

Chris Gissell (172 Posts)

Founder of Baseball Dudes. Blessed with three beautiful children and an amazing wife. Baseball is my life, after my family, and I love sharing what I have learned from it. Thanks for taking the time to view what we offer here at Baseball Dudes.