The story of Joey Votto and his approach to baseball highlights an important lesson in sports and life: the distinction between process and result. Votto, a National League MVP and six-time All-Star, understood that while a single night of success might feel good, it was the consistent process that truly mattered in the long run.
In a particular game, Votto had three hits, all of which were topspin one-hoppers through the infield. However, he was unhappy with this performance. He realized that these hits didn't contribute to his overall goal of success at the end of the season. Votto's coach, Don Long, was surprised by Votto's perspective, as most players would be content with a three-hit night. But Votto's mindset was unique.
The next day, Votto set a new goal for himself: to hit line drives over the shortstop every time they faced a tough left-hander. Despite statistically having a worse game, Votto considered it a good night because he had executed his process effectively. This ability to separate the feelings of a good night's results from the truth of a bad night's performance is a skill that Votto honed.
This concept is further explored by former professional poker player Annie Duke. She defines 'resulting' as confusing the quality of a decision with the luck of the outcome. Duke argues that we often place too much emphasis on the results of our decisions, which are often beyond our control. She uses the example of starting with a strong hand in poker but losing a large bet, emphasizing that second-guessing decisions based on results is counterproductive.
Votto's approach to baseball mirrors Duke's philosophy. He had the discipline and trust in his process and himself to separate the emotions of a good night's results from the truth of his performance. This mindset is crucial in sports, where sometimes a great result (like hitting a ball 110 mph) can coexist with a great process (like check-swinging and hitting a soft bloop for a single).
In conclusion, Joey Votto's story serves as a reminder that in sports and life, the process is often more important than the result. It takes discipline and a clear mindset to separate the two, and Votto's success is a testament to the power of focusing on the process rather than becoming too fixated on the outcome.
