Recently I developed something I call the UPB Development Pyramid. My inspiration for the pyramid is to educate athletes on how to achieve the levels of performance they desire to reach and to show them where they currently lie on the pyramid. To further expand the pyramid I am going to start a 7 part series focusing each one on a different segment of the pyramid. Hopefully, you will be able to figure out which portion of the pyramid you fall into and how you can advance up the pyramid ultimately to where limitless performance becomes a reality for you.
The lowest and biggest section of the pyramid is the “Natural Talent” section. This is where most athletes spend the majority of their careers. In this section of the pyramid athletes are consumed with the mentality that talent is something you are born with. They buy into the belief that, “you either have it or you don’t” and so don’t feel the need for any type of physical or mental development outside of normal practice time. Athletes in this section have a strong attachment to their ego and feel better about themselves when they are more “talented” then others.
This isn’t to say that athletes here don’t work hard. Players at this level may get to practice and be hard workers during their mandatory practice time. However, they are usually unmotivated to consistently engage in any additional practice. They may stay after for extra work from time to time but overall there is no consistency to their extra work.
Mechanically these players are not sound. They generally have major flaws in their mechanics creating holes that open them up to inconsistent performance. Any success they may have is based in large part to their physical size or strength that enables them to succeed despite these flaws. Due to this occasional success these players may be lulled into the belief that mechanically “everything is fine” further strengthening the belief in their own “natural talent”. Unfortunately this will only take them so far and eventually they will begin to struggle or leave the sport thinking that they did all they could and they went as far as their talent will take them.
Mentally players at this level tend to be very weak and are not adept at handling the ups and downs that comes with competition. Players here are attached to their ego believing in their own superiority or inferiority. Their thoughts and emotions are directly related to their performance and they exhibit no control over themselves mentally or physically. Generally these players have low self confidence and will try to mask it with cockiness or arrogance. These players tend to play the victim, blaming umpires, teammates, coaches, parents, or whoever for their struggles or short comings.
These players are limited in what they can accomplish because they have no idea how to do anything more then what they are doing naturally. They are taken over by the limited mindset so they may hit .300 but they will be satisfied with that and not look for ways to improve. “Natural Talent” athletes may even make it to and find success at the Major League level but their career will be defined by inconsistencies. They may have great performances and put up decent numbers but they will won’t be able to reach higher levels of performance.
Characteristics of players in this section include:
- Poor physical mechanics
- Attachment to the ego
- Poor ability to handle pressure situations or struggle (poor mental skills)
- Inconsistent performance
- Playing down to the level of their opponent
- Low self confidence/Arrogance
- Victim mentality
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