Baseball Success Lessons Enthusiasm And Excitement Can Make All The Difference

I recall reading two books by baseball player Frank Bettger on how excitement made all the difference in his life approximately 35 years ago. His writings had a significant impact on my life at the time, and they are still worth reading and re-reading now.

“How I elevated myself from failure to success in marketing” is probably his most well-known book. Frank passed away in 1981, yet his works and ideals carry on.

In 1907, he earned $175 a month as a baseball player for Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He was a young and ambitious man who was sacked due to his laziness. He wasn’t actually sluggish; he was just attempting to keep his nerves in check by being relaxed.

“Whatever you do once you leave here, for God’s sake, wake yourself up and inject some life and energy into your job,” his boss said.

Frank moved to Chester, Pennsylvania, and played baseball for $25 a month. “Well, I couldn’t feel particularly enthusiastic on that type of money,” Frank explained, “but I began to appear enthusiastic.”

He was given a trial in New Haven, Connecticut, after a few days. Because no one in that league knew who he was, he tried to cultivate a reputation for zeal. He’d have to live up to his own reputation after he’d established himself:

“I acted like a guy electrified from the moment I stepped onto the pitch.” I pretended to be alive by using a million batteries.”

Frank flung the ball around the diamond as hard as he could and sprinted around like a lunatic to score for his team. All of this occurred on a scorching day with a temperature of 100 degrees. He was putting on a show that worked like magic.

His anxiety had now become a source of energy for him. His passion spread to the other players on the field, who were enthused as well. He felt better than he has in the past during and after the game.

“This new guy, Bettger, has a barrel of energy,” the New Haven newspaper noted the next day. Our boys were inspired by him. They not only won the game, but they also looked better than they had at any other point this season.”

The press began to refer to him as “Pep” Bettger, the team’s life. Enthusiasm raised his monthly income from $25 to $185 in ten days. This was a 700% rise.

Bettger claims that he got the money only because of his passion, not because of his talent, which was the same as before. He couldn’t catch or hit the ball any better than he could previously. He was playing third base for the St Louis Cardinals two years later.

He was pushed out of baseball two years later after injuring his arm. He ended up selling life insurance two years later. He was a dismal failure at this until he attended a Dale Carnegie public speaking course. Like his previous manager, Carnegie advised him to be more eager.

Carnegie then went on to give his pupils a talk about enthusiasm. He became so enthralled that he threw a chair against a wall, breaking one of its legs in the process. All of this reminded Frank of his early baseball experiences.

“That night, I made the decision to continue in the insurance industry and sell with the same zeal that I had for baseball.”

He got so elated during his first sales pitch after this choice that he beat his fist. When his customer listened closely and then purchased the insurance coverage, he couldn’t believe it. “If fist hammering is what you need to stimulate yourself inside, then I am overwhelmingly for it,” he says. I’ve seen that if I force myself to be eager, I quickly get enthusiastic.”

Frank went on to become a brilliant salesperson and an inspiration to many other salespeople and regular persons.

A salesperson who is enthusiastic can outsell a salesperson who is not enthusiastic despite having considerably more information. The individual who is passionate attracts others like a magnet. He or she draws and motivates people to achieve goals they previously thought were unattainable.

You may easily and rapidly gain excitement by forcing yourself to act passionately. It’s also beneficial to reread your favorite inspirational pieces on a daily basis.

A fantastic comment from Walter Chrysler inspired Frank himself. When asked for the secret to success, Chrysler mentioned qualities like ‘ability, capacity, and energy,’ but added that the real secret was ‘enthusiasm.’

“I would say ‘excitement’ rather than enthusiasm,” Chrysler remarked. I enjoy watching males get enthralled. When they’re excited, that rubs off on their consumers, and we receive more business.”

Having a positive attitude may make a significant impact. We may all benefit from becoming enthralled by something we now despise. We can be surprised at how enthusiastic we get and how skilled we become. We’ve also seen that our passion quickly spreads to other individuals.

We could make it to the’major leagues’ of anything we get passionate about, with more friends, more fun, and more money!