The Hard 90 Podcast With Zach Sorensen

Listen to what the Pittsburg Pirates organization has to say about the makeup of their new star, Konnor Griffin.

You have 6 seconds to get over a mistake and focus on "this pitch." What are you going to say to yourself?

Athletes who view pressure situations as a challenge outperformed those who view it as a threat.

Anything multiplied by zero always ends up zero. What are you forgetting about or failing to give effort to in your training to be the best version of yourself? Make sure there are no zeroes in your preparation.

How are YOU playing the game of life? Are you playing to WIN or playing *not* to lose?

Athletes adopt an alter ego—a secondary, performance-driven persona—to mentally separate their personal self from the competitor, allowing them to silence self-doubt, increase confidence, and tap into peak performance. This mental tool helps them embody specific, aggressive, or composed traits needed to dominate under pressure.

You've done it before..... You can do it again..... You will do it right now.

Don't always go to the question, "How are you feeling?" Ask instead, "What are you feeling?"

If you were to do three things on every single pitch that would give you the best chance to have success, what would they be?

Dong things that I don't want to do.

Have You ever written a letter to yourself? Trying sending yourself a letter that you can utilize and read when you are in need of a pick-me-up.

Make every day opening day!

What are you going to say to yourself each morning to remind yourself how amazing you are?

The Difference Between Fear And Excitement is MINISCULE. Maybe the fear you are experiencing is just an accelerated version of excitement.  You are in control of the story you are telling yourself. Tell yourself it is excitement. 

In a letter to his younger self, Ray Allen discusses what will eventually lead him to success in the NBA - Boring old habits!!

One of the most important words in the comoetitive dictionary. Compete!

Talk to yourself as if you are your own coach. Tell yourself that "you" can.

Often times players tell me that they turn the corner in their career when they stop caring. Is It Better To Care Or Not To Care?

When you are facing fear, go right to it and right through it.

Make sure you are asking the right question.  Instead of asking am I better than......., ask, Can I Beat Them On Just This Pitch 

Difficult times are coming. You Need To Be Turned On By Difficulty!

You Are Not Lacking It, You Are Blocking It

Don't Be In A Hurry to have success. Yes, you want to compete with urgency, but Don't Be In A Hurry. Live in your ideal performance state by slowing the game down.

What is your ideal performance state? If your optimal speed limit is 75 mph, what do you need to do to get back to 75 mph?

Every outcome is preceded by an outcome. Are you happy with your process? 

Your focus shouldn't be on being the best team. Your focus should be on doing what it takes to be the best team.

What do you emphasize? What is it that you want to become? You Will Become What You Put Your Emphasis On.

You Become The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With. Who are you hanging out with. Do they make you better?

Make sure you are focusing on the correct thing. Can you control the outcome? Instead, focus on what it take to get the desired outcome.

Control what you can control. You can control your effort.

Hunter Greene's definition of "compete" centers on total mental and physical dedication to every single pitch over the course of a full game. He has described it as a high-intensity, draining effort that leaves a player "mentally and physically exhausted" by the end.

Based on his interviews, actions, and approach to the game, Mookie Betts defines "compete" not just as trying to win, but through intense preparation, versatility, resilience in the face of failure, and a relentless pursuit of perfection.

10 Things That Require No Talent: 1. Being On Time 2. Attitude 3. Work Ethic 4. Passion 5. Competing 6. Being Coachable 7. Body Language 8. Doing Extra 9. Energy 10. Being Prepared

Compete means to be in the zone and unlocked to go 100 percent.  4 things to know. Be unlocked. Stay locked in on your breath. Know your strengths/weaknesses. Understanding your edge

    In that moment, give every ounce of what you have, to perform the best you can, with helping/performing for the TEAM at the forefront of your thinking ;               If you are only at 80% physically, mentally, etc,  then give 100% of that 80% ! 

"You let him know you're locked in on him from the time you leave the dugout. Then when you walk to the plate, you walk like you can hit. You carry the bat in a positive fashion. You have good body language. You're not bent up. You're not letting your last at-bat leak over, and you're n warrior. You're walking like a man to the plate with a job to do. And it's a one-on-one confrontation. You're going to let it all hang out right there and then. When that one's over, it's wrapped up and put away and you start getting ready for the next one."

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

For an elite athlete, "compete" means performing consistently at the highest possible level where the focus is on winning, pushing physical and mental boundaries, and achieving peak performance. It requires relentless training, extreme discipline, and the ability to perform under pressure. 

1. Effort -if it looks or feels fake, it's not going to cut it. effort is the baseline to competing you have to give effort  2. Emotional stability.. I really like this one because every championship team I watched their emotional stability and poise is next level they get back to the middle so quickly and don't let positives or negatives control their outcomes  3. Selfless energy.. Competing is bigger than a stat line its about winning as a team and being able to hold each other accountable and win together is a big piece in competing  4. Lastly I think Dominating the controllable.. I always loved the quote do boring better if you can dominate your routine's preparation and game plan you will compete with anyone 

One pitch focus Stay confident  Execution focus  Battle-mode no matter the circumstances Good body language could be in there as well

1. Giving best effort (cliche but important) 2. Not afraid of failure  3. Execution of your job or plan 4. Win

Chris Kirk teaches us that a true competitor plays "unlocked" in a state of Fluidity - flow state Effortlessly adapting to environment - adapt and react to each situation as it arises Reaction without panic.  Reacting without a reaction. adapting . the best competitors adapt without effort Continue to move forward no matter what happens

1. Relentless effort - almost all sports reward effort & hustle!  2. Be prepared and execute your plan (what the team needs & the game calls for). 3. Be driven to improve as the game goes on!  4. Be engaged in making your teammates better. 

"Competing is choosing to give full effort and full focus to the next action, regardless of situation or emotion. Generally, people don't stop competing because they don't care or because they lack effort. They stop because distractions and noise get in the way." Steve Cutter

1) Know the game never ends 2) Always give 110% 3) Compare yourself only to yourself 4) Differentiate yourself 5) Learn how to lose 6) Never make excuses 7) Give credit when credit is due

CC Sabathia's definition of "compete" is rooted in intense, fearless preparation and a "give-me-the-ball" mentality, where the primary goal is to win for his team regardless of personal physical pain or circumstances. 

Showing up daily with relentless discipline, consistency, and mental toughness, refusing to quit when it's hard, and outworking everyone through preparation, not relying on natural talent alone to achieve peak performance and win over the long term, often prioritizing team success over individual stats

"Relentlessly destroying opponents mentally and physically through obsessive work, taking their will, and constantly striving to be better than yourself, viewing it as a constant process of improvement, not a destination, fueled by passion and fearlessness to fail" Kobe

Compete: Competition is the greatest thrill a person can experience because it forces them to overcome challenges en route to becoming the best version of themselves.

John Wooden considered enthusiasm a foundational, contagious passion that transforms hard work into exceptional performance. As a cornerstone of his Pyramid of Success, it fuels enjoyment in daily efforts, preventing tedium. He believed genuine love for the task inspires others and is necessary to reach one's full potential.