For nearly a year, the Kansas City Royals – from players and coaches to front office and fans – have been haunted by the distance of 90 feet. Each time a run crossed the plate during the 2015 season, in the back of everyone associated with the ‘Boys in Blue’ minds, it was impossible to NOT think about the gap from third to home. Although it has been 11 months since the heartache that was the 2014 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series loss to Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants (in Kansas City no less), the scars from the defeat have yet to heal. To come so close (90 FRIGGIN FEET-IN GAME 7) and fall short – that can stay with a person for a lifetime.
The Royals used the 2014 World Series loss as motivation this season and responded with vigor. A franchise record 95 regular season wins, American League Central Division Championship and home field advantage throughout the playoffs proved that all accomplishments the previous year weren’t a fluke.
Thing is, the 90 feet pain still lingers. The wins and division title just isn’t enough. The only cure for losing the 2014 World Series and ending the 30 year world title drought is to WIN THE TITLE AGAIN.
No Pressure right?
The next step in that journey begins tomorrow night when Kansas City hosts the Houston Astros in game one of the American League Divisional Series. In today’s news conference, Royals manager Ned Yost was asked point blank about that pressure and whether he and his team felt it.
“Pressure’s what you make out of it, all right? It’s kind of like — pressure’s kind of like your little friend you had, your imaginary friend you had when you were four years old, right?” Yost said. “If you think it’s there, it’s there. If you don’t, you don’t. That’s kind of the way we go about it.”
Yost was then asked in a follow-up question whether he had an imaginary friend.
“I don’t,” he replied.
I agree that pressure is what you make of it, but there is no way that Yost and his squad don’t have a giant “imaginary friend” sitting right there on the bench alongside them. Whether you are four or 44, pressure, or as Yost put it, your “imaginary friend” is always there. It’s an insult to our intelligence to claim that Yost doesn’t have that imaginary friend and I don’t understand why admitting to having or feeling pressure is a bad thing.
My imaginary friend has been with me for as long as I can remember. Pressure has helped make me the person that I am today and rather than shy away from it, I have embraced pressure and used it to help accomplish my goals. In fact, I believe if you don’t feel pressure, the stakes and goals you have set aren’t high enough.
In life, much like sports, some succeed under the spot light, while others crumble. Why is that? What separates the George Brett’s of the world from the Bill Buckner’s? According to a 2014 USA Today article on this topic, flourishing under pressure isn’t simply a matter of “you either have it or you don’t.”
Rather, it is a skill that can be developed over time. This finding was based off a study where 13 high-achieving individuals from a variety of professions, including sports, business, politics and entertainment, were recruited to see how they cope with stress and pressure.
I found this article to be fascinating; specifically what contributions play a role in succeeding under difficult circumstances. According to the study, these variables include, “a proactive and positive personality; a sense of flexibility and adaptability; feeling in control; having balance and perspective; and a perception of social support.”
The article goes on to state that, “just as victims of natural disasters or physical trauma show remarkable strength in rising above their circumstances, high achievers employ resiliency tactics to thrive under a different sort of pressure.” Simply put, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Before George Bret was bashing homers, earning gold gloves, winning a world title and becoming a legend, he was striking out in the minors and having to pick himself up time and time again from numerous failures.
Throughout my career I too have developed a thick skin while learning how to be resilient in handling good times and bad. It is an ongoing process and my imaginary friend has been right there with me all the way. I reflect on the good times and bad from past experience to get through future adversity. Last year the Kansas City Royals had numerous highs from a historical playoff run that ended 90 feet short.
We will find out in a matter of four weeks whether they embrace the imaginary friend we all know is beside them and shine under the bright lights of the 2015 MLB Playoffs.