Monday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
The snow has melted and the warmer weather has started making an appearance. Spring break is on the horizon and March Madness is finally here. In a few weeks we’ll be watching the best golfers in the world walking the fairways at The Masters shooting for the first major of the season and baseball’s opening day will have America’s game back on everyone’s radar.
My son Ryan has been practicing hard the last two weeks with his middle school baseball team. They have been holding practices in the school gym and hallways as they wait for the snow to melt and the baseball diamond to dry. With the daily practice comes his constant focus on the game, whether that’s reading baseball books, watching baseball highlights on YouTube or scanning the cable channels for college games or seeing what’s on the MLB Network. Every chance he gets, he asks me to go outside with him and throw the baseball.
As we grab out mitts and head to the street or muddy yard, I have been reflecting on this practice. We stand 15-30 feet apart and toss the ball back and forth; we start with a soft toss and work our way up to a harder, more precise throw. As our arms get loosened up and our accuracy intensifies, our velocity increases and the pop of the ball hitting the leather of the mitt echoes off the leafless tree branches that will soon begin to bloom.
Across the baseball complexes in Florida and Arizona the best baseball players in the world are two weeks into 
Spring Training and high school and middle school teams are getting ready for their season as well. These players will focus on the basics of the game – throwing, catching, hitting and running. They will practice turning double plays and stealing bases, hitting the cut-off man and getting out of a pickle. They will do this even though they already know what they are doing. They spend time rehearsing such basic plays over and over again knowing that the more they can do it now, the more effortless it will be when it needs to be done during the season…when it counts.
As sales people, it’s easy to commit to “getting back to the basics” but if the “basics” work so well, why would we need to get back to them? Why not just focus on the basics every day and do them so well that they happen like a reflex. Are we showing up in the office each day? Have you been making your phone calls, sending those emails and hand writing notes. What’s your system for following up with all inquiries and touching base with affiliates and partners throughout the transaction so nothing falls through the cracks? Do you find time each day to rehearse scripts and dialogues so you’re confident with your responses when you’re talking to customers and clients?
Once the baseball season starts, the best baseball players don’t have to think about what to do when a ball is hit their way. The understand the situation and react instinctively. That’s what separates the best in the world from those who play as a hobby.
The real estate season started over 2 months ago. How are you doing this year? Are you ahead of the competition or will you need to rally and try to make up some ground? Will you make building relationships, solving problems and having fun look effortless the way a major league infield can turn a 4-6-3 double play?
Stay focused on the important things – the throwing and the catching and the hitting. The team that does the basics the best usually ends up winning more than they lose.