417. From Lost to Locked In
The text I received:
“Can we do a call soon? I’m 4 for 31, 13 strikeouts. In Cape Cod. I forgot how to play dude.
I’m literally at the point where I just wanna go home.
5 months ago, I would’ve told you I can hit anybody.
Right now, I couldn’t even hit if a 12-year-old pitched to me.”
I got that from one of my college hitters playing in the Cape this summer—arguably the best summer league in the country.
He was batting .129.
Confidence shot.
Mind racing.
Wanting to leave.
💬 The Conversation:
We hopped on a call that night. He was reeling.
“I’m embarrassed.”
“I don’t think I belong here.”
“My swing doesn’t even look the same.”
“I feel like my teammates think I’m a joke.”
He sent me old swing videos. Sent me new ones. Picked apart every frame.
So I asked a simple question:
“If you had to simplify your swing into 3 things, what would they be?”
He said:
“Swing at strikes. Know the situation. Do my job.”
Not quite what I meant. So I reframed:
“When you were at your absolute best—what did the swing feel like?”
And that’s when the magic happened.
“Loose and strong with my grip.
Like I was swinging a broomstick.
I felt balanced.
And I wasn’t seeing the ball just to see it—I was seeing it to hit it.
I moved to hit the ball, not just watch it.”
I told him:
“That’s it. That’s where we need to live.
It’s not your swing that’s off.
It’s the consistency of your thoughts that’s off.”
He was focused on what scouts thought, what coaches thought, what teammates might be thinking... and none of it helped him get back to doing what he knows how to do: hit.
So he asked:
“How do I get back to feeling like a good hitter again?”
🛠️ The Strategy:
I said:
“Write those 3 feels down on a notecard:
Loose and strong. Balanced. Move to hit.
Stick it in your back pocket.
And before every at-bat tomorrow, pull it out and read it.”
Why?
Three reasons:
The Law of Recency – What you think about most recently, you’ll recall most readily.
Psychological Priming – You're training your brain to focus on the exact cues that get you into flow.
The DO ZONE – Tell yourself how you DO want to play instead of how you don’t. “I do want to feel strong and balanced,” instead of, “Don’t roll it over.”
He hesitated.
“You want me to pull out a notecard? Everyone’s going to think I’m an idiot.”
I said:
“Nope. They’re going to see you raking and want what you have.
Do it once. Let’s see what happens.”
He relented.
“I’ll do anything at this point. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
The next day?
✅ 3-for-3 with 2 walks
✅ 5-for-5 on his process
Was one of those hits a fisted pop-up that fell in behind shortstop? Yep.
But the results don’t matter as much as this: he showed up with a clear mind and a real plan.
He operationalized his feel. He repeated it. And it worked.
🔁 The Insight:
Every elite hitter I’ve ever talked to can do one thing:
They can repeat the feel of a good swing.
That’s not mechanical. That’s mental. It’s the consistency of your thoughts aka your focus.
💪 Your Challenge:
This month, try this:
Think back to the best you’ve ever played.
What did it feel like?
Write down 2–3 words or phrases that describe that version of you.
Before your next game or competition, read that card.
Feel it. Visualize it. Then go compete.
Not just with focus—but with freedom.
🗣️ P.S.
Telling someone how you’re actually feeling isn’t always complaining (as long as you get to a solution in the end)—it’s awareness.
And once you’re aware of the junk in your head, you can choose to focus on what actually matters.
Stay curious!
Tyler Pazik
P.S. If you’re ready to build a routine like this and want help personalizing it, shoot me a message.
📩 pazikperformancegroup.com/contact
📱 Instagram: @pazikperformancegroup
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