A SERIOUS CALM

In this episode of the ZHP we explore a career-altering aspect of performance embodied by the late Kobe Bryant, but rarely discussed or understood in the game of baseball or the sports world at large. 

Transcript

EPISODE TWO: A SERIOUS CALM

THERE AREN’T MANY TRUE TRADE SECRETS IN THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ANY MORE. IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET — INFORMATION SPILLS FORTH FREELY FROM EVERY CREVICE IN EVERY STADIUM AND ARENA AROUND THE WORLD. 

BUT TODAY, I’M GOING TO SHARE ONE WITH YOU. 

I’M OFTEN ASKED BY PEOPLE IN THE GAME…

IS THERE ONE ATTRIBUTE THAT YOU’D GIVE A HITTER IF YOU COULD: ONE SPECIAL ABILITY OR QUALITY THAT CAN TRULY TIP THE SCALES AND BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER AT THE PLATE?

WOULD IT BE…

LIGHTNING-FAST BAT SPEED. EPIC POP. AN ULTRA-EFFICIENT SWING PATH. ELITE BAT TO BALL SKILLS. TOP-END PITCH RECOGNITION. KILLER ZONE AWARENESS.

SURPRISING TO SOME, THE ANSWER IS… NONE OF THE ABOVE — 

AND THAT LEADS US TO MY TRADE SECRET…

THERE IS A DEFINING QUALITY THAT OUTWEIGHS ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED. IT IS AT THE EPICENTER OF ALL ELITE PERFORMANCE. NO TRULY GREAT PERFORMANCE HAPPENS WITHOUT IT. YOU’VE WITNESSED IT BEFORE, BUT LIKELY NEVER GAVE IT A NAME OR SOUGHT TO GRASP ITS FULL MEANING. YOU’VE MOST CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED IT AT SOME POINT, BUT LIKELY NEVER STOPPED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ITS EXISTENCE NOR FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE DEPTH AND POTENCY OF WHAT IT WAS THAT YOU WERE EXPERIENCING. 

BUT DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT…

LET’S ALLOW ONE OF THE FIERCEST AND MOST ACCOMPLISHED COMPETITORS OF OUR TIME EXPLAIN IT IN MORE DETAIL. 

HERE IS THE LATE KOBE BRYANT, TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE SAW YEARS AGO IN A YOUNG AND ELECTRIFYING STEPH CURRY…

“I see a calmness about him. I see a calmness about him and I think it’s something that a lot of players don’t understand. So I think it’s very hard for the fans to really understand what I’m saying because most players don’t get it. But there’s a serious calmness about him which is extremely deadly. Because he is not up, he’s not down, he’s not contemplating what just happened before or worrying about what’s to come next… HE IS JUST THERE. And when a player has the skills and has trained himself to have the skills… and then you mix (meld) that with this calmness and poise then you have a serious, serious problem on your hands. And so when I watch him play, that is what I see.” 

AND SO THAT IS WHAT I WOULD GIVE EVERY HITTER IN THE GAME… AT EVERY DAMN LEVEL…

A SERIOUS CALM. 

KOBE HAS PROVIDED HITTERS, AND ALL PERFORMERS, FOR THAT MATTER… THE KEY TO THE KINGDOM WITH THIS ONE 50-SECOND QUOTE. 

I WAS TEACHING THE IMPORTANCE OF “COMPETITIVE CALM” TO MY BIG LEAGUE HITTERS A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN ONE OF THEM BROUGHT ME THAT KOBE CLIP.  HE WAS A SEASONED VETERAN WHO HAD EXPERIENCED THE EXTREME HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE GAME — HE’D BEEN TO THE RARIFIED AIR OF THE MAJOR LEAGUE MOUNTAIN TOP, A CELEBRATED ALL STAR… AND HE’D DESCENDED TO THE MANY VALLEYS AS WELL: THE REDUCED PLAYING TIME, THE ROSTER JUGGLING, THE DREADED AAA SHUTTLE TO THE SHOW AND BACK AGAIN, AND FINALLY THE  BIGGEST FEAR OF ALL FOR A PLAYER (OUTSIDE OF SERIOUS INJURY): THE DFA. DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT. 

BUT HERE HE WAS. 

STILL STANDING. STILL WORKING RELENTLESSLY ON HIS CRAFT. A SURVIVOR OF INCONSISTENT SUCCESS, UNFULFILLED EXPECTATIONS AND DISAPPOINTING OUTCOMES. HE HAD CRAWLED OUT OF THE FOXHOLE, BLOODY AND BATTLE TESTED. BUT NO LONGER BULLET-PROOF.

AND HE KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING MISSING. HE KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING GREATER AVAILABLE TO HIM. SOMETHING THAT TRANSCENDED THE BOXSCORE AND THE FRUITLESS CHASE FOR OFTEN UNCONTROLLABLE RESULTS. 

AND HE FOUND THE ANSWER IN THE MOST PRIMAL AND SIMPLISTIC PLACE…

HIS BREATHING.

THAT OFFSEASON WE HAD STARTED WORKING ON TAKING DELIBERATE AND COMMITTED BREATHS BEFORE EACH AND EVERY SWING. HE DID NOT TAKE A SINGLE SWING OVER THAT FIVE-MONTH SPAN WITHOUT, WHAT I LIKE TO CALL, THE HITTER’S BREATH — A DEEP AND FULL INHALE FILLING THE BELLY, SHOULDERS RISING UP… THEN A SLOW AND LONG EXHALE, EMPTYING THE LUNGS… SHOULDERS FALLING AND RELAXING. 

IT WAS AN EXERCISE IN EXTREME SELF-DISCIPLINE AND SELF-MASTERY… COMPLETE ABSORPTION. TOTAL FOCUS. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERED. THE ONLY THING HE TRULY CONTROLLED.

THE BREATH. 

AND WITHIN THAT UNSHAKEABLE COMMITMENT TO THIS PRACTICE… HE EVENTUALLY CAME FACE TO FACE WITH…

A SERIOUS CALM. 

I REMEMBER SITTING BESIDE HIM BEFORE A SESSION, AND HIM SAYING: YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS, JP…

AND HE SHOWED ME HIS PHONE WITH THE CLIP OF KOBE. 

THEN HE LOOKED AT ME, AND I SAW THIS NEWFOUND UNDERSTANDING FLOOD HIS EYES AS HE SAID…

“THIS IS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.”

AND DAMN RIGHT IT WAS. 

SO… LET’S BREAK KOBE’S POTENT MESSAGE DOWN FURTHER SO YOU, TOO, CAN EXTRACT THE FULLNESS OF ITS RICHES:

ASPECT ONE OF A SERIOUS CALM OR COMPETITIVE CALM:

1. “IT’S SOMETHING A LOT OF PLAYERS DON’T UNDERSTAND, SO I THINK IT’S VERY HARD FOR THE FANS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING — BECAUSE MOST PLAYERS DON’T GET IT.” THIS IS SO VERY TRUE. IN SOME REGARD THIS TOPIC CAN COME ACROSS AS ESOTERIC OR LIKE SOME MYSTICAL IDEA. BUT NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THIS IS NOT SOME SUPERHUMAN TRAIT. EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IT. WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED IT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. BUT THAT MAKES IT NO LESS POWERFUL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE LOST OUR AWARENESS OF IT, AND IT’S BECOME VEILED BY THE MADDENING PACE OF OUR LIVES, AND THE OVERINDULGENCE ON FEEDING OUR BRAINS NON-STOP EMPTY INFORMATION.

ASPECT TWO OF A SERIOUS CALM:.

   2.“IT’S EXTREMELY DEADLY BECAUSE HE’S NOT UP, HE’S NOT DOWN”: EMOTIONAL CONTROL. INTERNAL BALANCE. INNER EQUILIBRIUM. KOBE KNEW THE COST OF LOSING CONTROL OF EMOTIONS. THE PRICE IS HIGH — IT WILL STEAL YOUR TALENT AWAY IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. MOST ATHLETES COMPETE ON A ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS… AND THEIR PERFORMANCE MIRRORS THOSE UPS AND DOWNS. THE CALM KOBE MENTIONS CREATES SPACE WITHIN US THAT ALLOWS FOR ALL OF THESE EMOTIONS TO RISE AND FALL WITHOUT OUR REACTION OR ATTACHMENT. IT PROVIDES A BALLAST THROUGH THE WORST OF OUR HITTING STORMS. 

ASPECT THREE OF A SERIOUS CALM:

1. “HE’S NOT CONTEMPLATING WHAT JUST HAPPENED BEFORE OR WORRYING ABOUT WHAT’S GOING TO COME NEXT. HE’S JUST THERE.” A HITTER IS MOST POWERFUL WHEN HE IS FULLY GROUNDED IN THE PRESENT. NOT DRAGGED DOWN BY PAST AT BATS OR PANICKED OVER FUTURE OUTCOMES. THERE IS NOTHING MORE POTENT THAN A HUMAN BEING COMPLETELY ABSORBED IN THE MOMENT. WE LOSE PRECIOUS ENERGY AND EFFECTIVENESS  BY PLACING ATTENTION ON PAST EXPERIENCES OR FUTURE EVENTS. GREATNESS CAN ONLY TAKE PLACE — RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.

ASPECT FOUR OF A SERIOUS CALM:

1. “WHEN A PLAYER HAS THE SKILLS… AND THEN YOU MIX THAT WITH THIS CALMNESS AND POISE. THEN YOU HAVE A SERIOUS, SERIOUS PROBLEM ON YOUR HANDS.” THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN A HITTER IS IN FULL CONTROL OF HIS GIFTS. YOUR TALENTS ARE FULLY EMBODIED AND EXPRESSED. YOU ARE WIELDING A WEAPON THAT VERY FEW POSSESS. YOU ARE SITTING AT THE HELM OF A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE MACHINE, ALLOWING THOSE SKILLS TO FLOW FORTH FROM A PLATFORM OF COOL, CALM, COLLECTEDNESS. 

AND, AGAIN, WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED THESE ASPECTS…

IN THE SIMPLE SPACE BETWEEN THOUGHTS. OR THE PAUSE BETWEEN BREATHS. 

IN A QUIET MOMENT ALONE AT THE BALLPARK. OR WITNESSING A SUNSET OR SUNRISE. OR PERHAPS STARING UP AT THE VAST NIGHT SKY. OR WATCHING YOUR CHILD SLEEP. 

THE CALM IS IN ALL THOSE THINGS. 

IN FACT, IT IS ALWAYS THERE, WAITING TO BE REDISCOVERED AND ACKNOWLEDGED.

BREATHE. 

SEEK SOLITUDE. 

SIT IN SILENCE.

RESIST YOUR DAMN PHONE. 

CHOOSE INSTEAD TO… REST IN AND PRACTICE THIS CALM. 

IT IS A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE FORCE. 

WE LIVE IN A WORLD NOW THAT IS ROBBING OUR BRAINS OF THIS INNATE ABILITY. IT IS SMOTHERING US IN NON-STOP DOPAMINE HITS AND UNNATURALLY RESTLESS MINDS. THE NEUROCHEMISTRY IN OUR BRAINS IS CHANGING, DEMANDING TO BE ENTERTAINED AND DISTRACTED EVERY WAKING SECOND — AND NONE OF THIS BODES WELL FOR THE PERFORMANCE MIND OF THE MODERN HITTER. RESEARCH SHOWS OUR ANXIETY IS GROWING WHILE OUR NATURAL FOCUS IS SHRINKING. OUR BRAINS ARE LITERALLY PERFORMING AT A SUB-PAR LEVEL. 

TAKE A STAND AGAINST IT. 

READ A BOOK. GO FOR A QUIET WALK. OBSERVE YOUR THOUGHTS WITHOUT ANY JUDGEMENT. DAY DREAM. SIT OUTSIDE AND TAKE IT ALL IN. THE SIGHTS, SMELLS, AND SOUNDS. SLOW THINGS DOWN IN YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE. BREATHE IT TO A PAUSE. 

I KNOW SOME OF YOU MAY ROLL YOUR EYES, OR CRINGE AT THE SUGGESTION…

BUT I PROMISE YOU… THIS IS AN INTEGRAL FORM OF TRAINING. THIS, IS THE GATEWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE, BETTER WELL BEING, AND MORE FULFILLMENT IN ALL AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. REMEMBER, EVERYTHING WE DO AS HUMAN BEINGS FEEDS EVERYTHING ELSE. 

WHEN WE ALLOW THAT SERIOUS CALM TO START FLOWING… IT WILL IMPACT ALL THAT WE DO…

BUT THIS IS A HITTING PODCAST… SO LET ME MAKE THIS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR…

THIS IS A BONAFIDE GAME CHANGER FOR A HITTER. 

A TRUE TRADE SECRET.

WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT PLAYERS WITH A SLOW HEART BEAT, RIGHT? OR GUYS THAT CAN SLOW THE GAME DOWN WHEN IT MATTERS MOST. FOLKS COMMENTED ABOUT FREDDIE FREEMAN DRIPPING WITH POISE IN HIS MOST RECENT WORLD SERIES AT BATS. OR IN THE 2023 POSTSEASON, PHILLIES HITTING COACH, KEVIN LONG, TALKED ABOUT BRYCE HARPER’S ABILITY TO BE SO INCREDIBLY RELAXED IN THE MOST CRITICAL MOMENTS OF THEIR SEASON THAT HE ALMOST SEEMED SUPER-HUMAN.

 IN THE PAST, THE SAME HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT GUYS LIKE DEREK JETER — SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU COULDN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS SPRING TRAINING AND WORLD SERIES AT BATS. SAME DEREK. CALM AND COOL. 

THERE IS A LAUNDRY LIST OF SIMILAR EXAMPLES, PLAYERS ELICITING COMPETITIVE CALM IN THE BIGGEST MOMENTS THE WORLD OF BASEBALL CAN CREATE. AND WE SEE IT BEYOND THE DIAMOND, OF COURSE… IN THE BRADYS, THE JORDANS, THE WOODS, THE LEBRONS, ETC. 

BUT THOSE GUYS ARE JUST BUILT LIKE THAT, JP! YOU HAVE TO BE BORN WITH THAT ABILITY. IT CANNOT BE LEARNED OR ACQUIRED. 

THINK AGAIN.

DO SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MORE NATURAL PREDISPOSITION FOR THIS QUALITY? SURE. BUT LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES OFTEN WASH IT OUT OF THEM. AND REGARDLESS, IT MUST STILL BE CULTIVATED. NURTURED. AND FOSTERED AS A DAILY PRACTICE. A WAY OF LIFE. 

THE TRUTH IS… A SERIOUS CALM IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT. IT’S STEEPED IN YOUR ANCIENT D.N.A. IT’S A PART OF YOUR ORIGINAL OPERATING SYSTEM. IT’S AT YOUR DISPOSAL 24X7.  

SO WHY DO SO FEW HITTERS UTILIZE IT? WHY DOES THE CONCEPT FEEL SO FOREIGN OR BEYOND THE GRASP OF SO MANY INDIVIDUALS?

HEREIN LIES OUR HUMAN REALITY.

AND SPECIFICALLY THE CURRENT CHALLENGE WE ARE FACED WITH IN THE YEAR 2025…

YOU SEE, THE HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM IS LITERALLY HARD WIRED FOR FEAR, ANXIETY, AND NEGATIVITY — IT IS AT THE VERY EPICENTER OF OUR BIOLOGY. WE ARE LITERALLY COMBATTING THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF PROGRAMMING… DRIVEN BY THE SOLE INTENTION OF ENSURING OUR SURVIVAL AS A SPECIES. 

OUR ANCESTORS FACED EXTREMELY HARSH ENVIRONMENTS AND WERE VULNERABLE TO THREATS FROM WILD ANIMALS AND WARRING TRIBES WITH LITTLE TO NO NOTICE. THEY RELIED HEAVILY ON WHAT WE NOW KNOW AS THE STRESS RESPONSE, OR FIGHT OR FLIGHT, POWERED PRIMARILY BY THE SNS, THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM. 

WE’VE ALL HEARD OF THIS PHENOMENON, RIGHT? 

THIS SYSTEM IS A HUMAN NECESSITY THAT BASICALLY FLOODS OUR BODIES WITH ADRENALINE AND CORTISOL SO WE CAN PROPERLY RESPOND TO THAT SABER-TOOTH CAT, DIRE WOLF, WOOLY MAMMOTH, OR PACK OF GIANT HYENAS LURKING AROUND THE CORNER. 

THE PROBLEM IS, HERE IN GOOD OLD 2025, IS THAT WE DON’T REALLY FACE THESE LEVEL ONE STRESS EVENTS ON A DAILY, WEEKLY, OR EVEN A MONTHLY BASIS. LIFE OR DEATH SITUATIONS ARE USUALLY QUITE RARE.

BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP THE SNS FROM TURNING JUST ABOUT ANY MILDLY NEGATIVE EVENT INTO A FULL-BORE EXISTENTIAL CRISIS —

YOU KNOW THE DRILL. 

DUDE ACCIDENTALLY CUTS YOU OFF ON THE HIGHWAY ON YOUR WAY TO THE BALLPARK… IT’S SUDDENLY TOTAL WAR! THE SNS FLOODS YOUR BODY WITH ENOUGH STRESS HORMONES TO CHOKE A THOROUGHBRED. BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOUR FOOT IS SLAMMED TO THE FLOOR AND YOU’RE GRIPPING THE STEERING WHEEL LIKE A FIGHTER PILOT ON A NEGATIVE G DIVE. 

OR… 

YOU ARE LATE FOR AN IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT… IT FEELS LIKE A TICKING TIME BOMB AS YOU SEARCH FRANTICALLY FOR YOUR CAR KEYS, HEART THUMPING, PALMS SWEATING… MIND CHURNING — I HAVE TO GET THERE ON TIME… OR ELSE… IT FEELS LIKE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE DEPENDS ON IT. 

OR…

SOMEONE FIRES OFF A NEGATIVE COMMENT ON ONE OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS… AND THE FEELING IS ON PAR WITH A HOME INVASION. YOU ARE PRIME FOR BATTLE. FACE FLUSHED. FISTS CLENCHED. BLOOD BOILING. YOU, AND EVERYTHING DEAR TO YOU, IS UNDER ATTACK! 

LISTEN, THE HUMAN SPECIES IS VULNERABLE TO PANIC. IN FACT, WE ARE HARD-WIRED FOR IT. WE ARE BUILT TO RESPOND MORE INTENSELY THAN NECESSARY WHEN FACED WITH EVEN THE SLIGHTEST POTENTIAL STRESSOR. 

SO THINK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF ON-FIELD PERFORMANCE…

THINGS LIKE ADRENALINE. CORTISOL. INCREASED HEART RATE. RACING THOUGHTS. 

ARE THESE THE COMPANIONS WE WANT WITH US IN THE BATTER’S BOX? 

IT’S STAGGERING HOW MANY BIG LEAGUE HITTERS TELL ME THAT THEIR AT BATS OFTEN FEEL LIKE LIFE OR DEATH… LIKE THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE IS ON THE LINE… LIKE THEIR CAREERS ARE AT STAKE… OR IN THE MOST EXTREME CASES LIKE THEY LITERALLY HAVE A GUN TO THEIR HEAD. 

SUCCEED OR DIE! 

THIS IS WHAT AN OVERACTIVE SNS CREATES IN ALL OF US. INTENSE AND IRRATIONAL RESPONSES TO TASKS THAT NEITHER REQUIRE NOR BENEFIT FROM SUCH INVOLVEMENT. 

YOU SEE, THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO BE USED IN BRIEF, TEMPORARY SPURTS. BUT RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 70% OF US ARE GOING AROUND LOCKED INTO AN ONGOING STRESS RESPONSE. MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE THAT THE NUMBER IS EVEN HIGHER FOR HITTERS! 

THIS IS DESTROYING HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND ERODING JUST ABOUT EVERY AREA OF OUR WELL BEING.

WE ARE GOING TO THE PLATE AND LIVING OUR LIVES NEAR THE RED LINE… OVERHEATED… VIRTUALLY ALL THE TIME. AND THE RESULTS ARE DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE AND A SCORE OF CHRONIC AILMENTS RANGING FROM SEVERE ANXIETY TO HEART DISEASE. 

SO WHAT’S THE ANSWER, YOU ASK? 

WELL, YOU DIDN’T THINK MOTHER NATURE WOULD LEAVE US HANGING DID YOU? 

SHE BUILT IN A GLORIOUS LITTLE COUNTER-SYSTEM TO OFFSET THE SNS…

IT’S CALLED THE PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM.

THE HITTER’S BEST FRIEND. 

AND THE DOORWAY TO “A SERIOUS CALM”.

IT REPLACES THE PANIC OF THE SNS WITH EASE AND PEACEFULNESS… SLOWING THE HEART, DILATING THE BLOOD VESSELS, RELAXING THE MUSCLES… AND CREATING A FEELING OF… COOL CONTENTMENT.

IT’S NATURE’S POTENT ANSWER TO FIGHT OR FLIGHT. 

AND SHE GAVE EVERYONE THE KEY TO ITS KINGDOM… AS WE TOUCHED ON EARLIER…

WITH THE BREATH. 

JUST ONE SIMPLE, CONTROLLED BREATH ACTIVATES THE PARASYMPATHETIC — SPECIFICALLY STIMULATING THE VAGUS NERVE — WHICH SIGNALS THE SNS TO CHILL OUT AND SHUT DOWN. TAKE THREE OR MORE FOCUSED BREATHS AND NOW YOU’RE REALLY COOKING, INVITING AN INFLUX OF NATURAL CALM TO FLOW THROUGH YOU.

DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. ASK THE NAVY SEALS. GUYS WHO KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT REAL THREATS. 

SEALS ARE WELL-KNOWN FOR UTILIZING TACTICAL BREATHING TO ENGAGE THEIR PARASYMPATHETIC BEFORE MISSIONS, ENSURING THAT THEY REMAIN CALM AND IN CONTROL… SO THEY AREN’T HIJACKED BY THEIR SNS WHEN IT MATTERS MOST. 

SEALS ACTUALLY FACE TIER ONE LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS… BUT EVEN THEN… THEY CHOOSE TO BYPASS THAT CORTISOL COCKTAIL FOR A SERIOUS CALM.

WHY?

BECAUSE THERE IS PROFOUND POWER IN BEING THE CALM IN THE STORM. AND THERE IS LITTLE TO NO BENEFIT BEING DRIVEN BY A STRESS-RIDDEN, ENERGY-DEPLETING SYSTEM. 

THE SNS HAS IT’S PLACE, MIND YOU. IN FACT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEAK PERFORMANCE… WE NEED A LITTLE JUICE, A LITTLE VITALITY… IN OUR GAME. AND WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT SERIOUS CALM LIKE A PRO… THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO CONTROL JUST HOW MUCH SNS ACTIVATION IS BEST FOR EACH OF US DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION. 

BUT AS THINGS STAND…

OUR BODIES ARE ACTING LIKE WE ARE FACING DOWN SABER-TOOTH TIGERS INSTEAD OF THE DETROIT TIGERS. OR THE CLEMSON TIGERS. OR THE MOUNTAIN HIGH TIGERS. 

YOU GET THE POINT. 

SO START WITH THAT BREATH. PREFERABLY WITH YOUR EXHALE BEING LONGER THAN YOUR INHALE. AND PUT YOURSELF BACK IN THE CONTROL CENTER AND TURN DOWN THE VOLUME ON PANIC AND FEAR AND DOUBT. AND REPLACE IT WITH A SERIOUS CALM. 

BECAUSE… HERE IS THE THING…

THIS QUALITY THAT KOBE TOUCHED ON… IT GOES FAR BEYOND THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT DANCE.

AS HE ALLUDED TO —

THIS CALM PRESENCE IS WHAT CENTERS US, AND GROUNDS OUR ATTENTION IN THE ONLY MOMENT WE CAN ACTUALLY PERFORM IN — THIS ONE. 

IT ALLOWS OUR BRAIN AND BODY TO WORK WITH PEAK EFFICIENCY… MAPPING PITCHES AND RESPONDING WITH FIGHTER-PILOT PRECISION… INSTEAD OF BEING DERAILED BY A PERFORMANCE-KILLING STRESS RESPONSE.  

IT ENABLES US TO STAY INTERNALLY BALANCED WHEN THINGS DON’T GO OUR WAY, SO WE CAN QUICKLY REGAIN OUR COMPOSURE, SEE THE BEST OPTION AVAILABLE TO US… AND ACT WITH CLEAR AND POTENT INTENT.

AND FINALLY…

IT PAVES THE WAY FOR YOUR TALENT TO FLOW REGARDLESS OF ALL THOSE MESSY EXTERNAL CONDITIONS THAT YOU CANNOT CONTROL! AND IT SUBSEQUENTLY GIVES RISE TO THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME IN ANY GIVEN SITUATION… 

WE SIMPLY NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO ACTIVATE IT. 

AGAIN, THIS ISN’T A MAGIC ELIXIR… IT IS A SCIENCE-BASED REALITY… AND IF YOU AREN’T TAPPING INTO ITS PERFORMANCE POWER THAN YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY ENTERING INTO A GUNFIGHT ARMED WITH A BUTTER KNIFE. 

AND EVEN SEAL-TEAM SIX KNOWS THEY AIN’T WINNING THAT FIGHT. 

FORTUNATELY, WE CAN FIND THE CALM IN OUR DAILY LIFE… IT IS ALWAYS THERE… WAITING TO BE EXPERIENCED… AS I SAID… JUST A BREATH AWAY.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT…

IT’S THERE DURING A TRAFFIC JAM. OR AFTER BEING CUTOFF ON THE HIGHWAY BY THAT DUDE WE MENTIONED. OR IN AN ARGUMENT WITH A SPOUSE OR TEAMMATE OR LOVED ONE. ON A LONG LINE AT THE GROCERY STORE WHEN SOMEONE BREAKS OUT THEIR COUPON BOOK. OR WHEN YOU ARE LATE FOR THAT SUPPOSED “LIFE OR DEATH” APPOINTMENT AND YOU ARE HITTING EVERY — SINGLE — RED — LIGHT. 

CAN YOU LOCATE IT AMIDST THE RISING FRUSTRATION AND THE INTERNAL “F” BOMBS? DO YOU HAVE THE TOOLS TO BRING IT FORTH DESPITE THE ANGER SWELLING AND YOUR HEART THUMPING AND YOUR MIND RACING?

BECAUSE IF YOU CAN’T ACCESS IT ALONE IN THE CAR OR ON A LINE IN A GROCERY STORE… HOW CAN YOU WIELD IT WITH EXPERTISE IN FRONT OF 50,000 UNRULY FANS? OR IN FRONT OF A PACKED S.E.C. CROWD WITH BIG LEAGUE SCOUTS IN ATTENDANCE? OR A HIGH-SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME? 

I’VE FOUND HITTERS DO A LOT OF NODDING AND AGREEING WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF — BUT THE FOLLOW THROUGH IS MINIMAL. IT’S EASIER TO TALK MECHANICS AND APPROACH — THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF THE HITTING WORLD… THEN TO ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AND REALLY DO THE INTERNAL WORK. AND I GET IT. 

IT MAKES PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE. FOR A LOT OF HITTERS IT’S UNCHARTED TERRITORY. BUT LIKE I TOLD YOU IN THE INTRO EPISODE… THAT’S WHAT THIS PODCAST SPACE IS FOR. IF WE AREN’T PUSHING BEYOND OUR COMFORT ZONE THEN WE AREN’T EVOLVING AS HITTERS.

SIMPLE AS THAT. 

THE PLAYERS WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO ENGAGE THIS TYPE OF WORK… 

WELL, IN MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, THEY’RE OFTEN THE ONES WHO RISE ABOVE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES AND DO SPECIAL THINGS WITH THE STICK. 

BECAUSE IT’S A HELL OF A LOT EASIER TO SNATCH A NEW DRILL OFF INSTAGRAM. OR SHARE A COOL SHORT ON “X”. AND THINK, YEAH, THAT’S GOING TO UNLOCK MY SEASON, RIGHT? 

COME ON. 

IF PLAYERS SPENT 1/10TH OF THE TIME MASTERING COMPETITIVE CALM THAT THEY DO TINKERING WITH THEIR 500TH NEW HITTING DRILL — THEY WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY MOVE THE PERFORMANCE NEEDLE. 

THAT IS A COLD, HARD FACT COMING FROM SOMEONE ON THE FRONT LINES. 

BUT HOW MANY HITTERS REALLY WORK THIS SKILL INTO THEIR TRAINING THROUGH BREATH WORK, MINDFULNESS OR MEDITATION PRACTICE, IMAGERY, OPEN FOCUS TRAINING, RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, OR SIMPLE ONE-BREATH AWARENESS? 

THESE ARE TOPICS AND TOOLS THAT WE WILL MOST DEFINITELY BE DISCUSSING, EXPLORING, AND EXPLAINING IN THIS PODCAST SPACE. MAKE NO MISTAKE, WE ARE GOING TO WEAPONIZE THIS “SERIOUS CALM.”

BECAUSE IT IS, WITHOUT QUESTION, A LYNCHPIN FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE AS PROVEN BY COUNTLESS RESEARCH STUDIES AND VERIFIABLE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE. 

AND YET…

IT CONTINUES TO BE A VASTLY OVERLOOKED AND IGNORED AREA OF TRAINING FOR THE MAJOR LEAGUE HITTER… AND HITTERS IN EVERY LEVEL OF THE GAME… AS WELL AS ATHLETES IN ALL SPORTS… AND PERFORMERS IN ALL ENDEAVORS.

BUT KOBE BRYANT KNEW.

DIDN’T HE?

HE WAS WELL AWARE OF WHAT RESIDED WITHIN THE GREATS. HE KNEW THAT WITHOUT THIS CALM… A PLAYER WAS PERFORMING AT A TREMENDOUS DISADVANTAGE. SO HE COMMITTED MUCH OF HIS LIFE TO UNLOCKING AND PERFECTING THIS PRECIOUS GIFT THAT RESIDED WITHIN HIM. AND KOBE KNEW HE WASN’T ALONE IN THIS QUEST. HE CELEBRATED IT IN OTHERS WHEN HE RECOGNIZED IT IN THEIR GAME. 

LIKE WHEN HE SAW IT IN A YOUNG STEPH CURRY ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. 

SO AS WE BRING THIS EPISODE TO A CLOSE… ONLY ONE QUESTION TRULY REMAINS…

WOULD KOBE HAVE SEEN A “SERIOUS CALM” IN YOU? 

CUT TO OUTRO: