While Growing up, my mother had the tenacity or should I say the audacity to remind me every day of how special I was. How compared to my teammates and class mates, I was much different and because of this I was destined to accomplish great things in baseball.

So from an early age I believed this to be true and can admit that it was the catalyst for my ability to have made it as far as I did. Consequently as I grew older I realized that the luxury of having a mother who was willing to invest her self into my development, was a huge responsibility on my part.

For one, I had to develop and cultivate an awareness about the type of person I was becoming. What influences I had, needed to be positive ones, so that I could better implement the life lessons that my mother conveyed. This experience was at many times tumultuous, but the reward for mastering the values taught, I can say I’m still benefiting from to this day.

For me baseball was the medium for my participation in personal development. It has given me a lot to be grateful for, and it”s this that inspires me to share with you all the benefits of sacrificing everything you have for something larger than yourself.

What ever passion or hobby you think of.

I’m assuming it”s baseball. Whether for your career or your child’s. When I think of all the challenges that a career in baseball has had for me I”m constantly reminded of an interesting quote from my high school days.

“Baseball gives you every chance to suceed. Then turns around and puts every ounce of pressure on you to prove you don’t have what it takes. It never lifts off the pressure and never takes away the opportunity”

-joe garagiola

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