421. You Can’t Trust a Process You Don’t Have
The Story
He used to pray for rain.
Not because he liked the weather.
Because he was terrified to pitch.
That day it was the #1 team in the country, and his mind was already unraveling in the bullpen.
No feel. No plan. No confidence.
“Please cancel this game. I’m not ready. I can’t do this.”
He’d change his throwing routine every day — chasing a feeling he never found.
He didn’t have a process. Just panic disguised as preparation.
⚡ Fast Forward to Now
He texts me:
“Absolutely shoved… 94–96 the whole way. 2 innings. No walks. 3 Ks.
That’s the first time I’ve warmed up and knew I was going to shove.”
That’s not bravado. That’s a man who’s finally built something real.
So we got on a call and dug into it.
I asked him: “What was different this time?”
He told me: “Honestly? I was still nervous. Still had some of those old thoughts… But now I just say, ‘That’s energy. It’s fine.’”
Then he laughed:
“There wasn’t even a backstop in the bullpen.
A year ago, that would’ve ruined me.
I used to be so scared of launching one onto the field.
Embarrassment used to destroy me.
But this time? I barely noticed.”
Because this time, he had a plan.
Not just a vague idea — a real process.
Nail-tight catch play.
Pre-pitch routine locked in.
Mental cues dialed.
Refocus system automatic.
He didn’t feel good because the conditions were perfect.
He felt good because he finally knew what to do when they weren’t.
The Realization
Everyone says it: “Just trust the process.”
But what if you don’t have one?
What if you’re just winging it with enough talent to survive — but not enough structure to thrive?
You can’t trust what doesn’t exist.
You can’t find confidence in something you haven’t built.
That’s why he used to spiral.
That’s why so many athletes fake confidence instead of creating it.
The Strategy: Build What You Can Trust
Start with a checklist:
What do you do before you pitch?
What’s your in-game reset?
How do you prep your mind between outings?
What’s your self-talk when it gets loud?
Write it down.
Test it under pressure.
Tweak it when it breaks.
Then — run it again.
Checklists create:
Consistency
Confidence
Control in chaos
Your Challenge
Ask yourself:
“Do I actually have a process I can describe in detail?”
“Or am I still hoping things go well?”
If you don’t.. build one.
Because when it all hits the fan.. and it will..
your confidence won’t come from hype.
It’ll come from the quiet knowing that you’ve been here before..
and you’ve got a plan.
That’s the difference between hoping you show up..
and knowing you will.
That’s The Pazik Process.
👇 Want more stories like this?
Join The Pazik Process here.
Learn more about Core Principles and becoming your best self by taking the 11 Week Challenge inside the Mental Skills Mechanics
Take the guesswork out of confidence building. 11 video lessons to walk you through how to get elevate your focus step-by-step, so you know exactly what to do.
Get the tools and strategies you need to take action. The course includes a PDFs and powerpoints, plus new examples and applications that you can’t find in The Mental Game Blog.
Learn a framework that works for elite mental performance. You can use this course to build your mental game – from resilience, to embracing failure, to visualization and mental imagery. It’s all in there.
