Over this past weekend, when I was in Hollywood, Florida, (yes, we have one, too) for a prestigious 12 and under baseball tournament, I witnessed the greatest act of sportsmanship EVER, by a group of ball players who had just lost to my son’s team.

To set the stage:

The competition was fierce, with seven teams flying in from California and another coming in from Houston. Not to mention the stellar teams from Miami and other areas of Florida, including Tampa.

Anyway, we didn’t play well in our first two games, so we faced a team who did (an 0-2 team versus a 2-0 team). This team, the SY TITANS out of Santa Ynez, California, happened to be the #5 ranked team in the country, and so, our backs were against the wall when my son, Frank, took the hill.

The battle was on when we took a 2-0 lead in the first. They responded with a run of their own, along with great defense and pitching, robbing us of runs that were a sure thing against most teams.

At the bottom of the 5th inning, we appeared to have a commanding 5-2 lead. Then my friend, Woody, who was sitting next to me in the 40 degree weather, jinxed my son by saying, “Well, it looks like you guys are in total control.”

“Don’t say that,” I said. “The score can change really fast in this game.”

Two seconds later, an SY Titans player slammed a 2-run shot, making it a one-run ball game.

In the sixth we added another insurance run, then brought in our closer, who punched out three batters with runners on 2nd and 3rd.

We won, 6-5 and what a thrill ’twas.

After my wife and I hugged and high-5’d each other, I fist bumped other parents and fans.

And then the SHOCK of MY LIFE.

The SY TITANS walked before our parents and fans and clapped for us, celebrating our victory with us, telling us congratulations, and much more.

Naaah, this can’t be happening. This isn’t something out of a movie. This isn’t even real life – as far as I knew it, and I’ve competed all over the country and world. The highest form of sportsmanship I ever witnessed was a handshake from your typically disgruntled opponent.

Yet, here was a group of 12-year old lads who weren’t taking their defeat the way so many youngsters do today. They were letting their pain of loss go by celebrating for the team who won.

As I left the ball park, several parents came up and congratulated the efforts of my son. They told me how they wish they didn’t have to face him.

I then told this team what I’m telling you now: “In all my life I’ve never seen such magnanimous sportsmanship. Unlike so many of the teams I’ve seen, who curse and scream at the umpires after a loss (coaches as well as players), this team separated themselves from the masses.

No, they didn’t win the game – but they won my respect and admiration – and that doesn’t come easily. It must be earned.

In Florida, we don’t play teams from California very often – but I can tell you, I really hope we play the SY TITANS again, not just because they’re a superb team, but because win or lose, they’re a team with tremendous class.

They know how to let losses go and move on to the bigger picture, being professional human beings.

One parent told me that this type of sportsmanship is how they end games in California. If that’s really true, I’d love to see it catch hold in other states.

Give it all you’ve got – then let the wins and losses go. Move on to the next practice, the next game, the next opportunity to showcase your team’s skills – then rinse and repeat, over and over again.

Best,

Matt Furey

P.S. Want to get really good at being a professional human being – then make sure you look into getting the Zero Resistance Living System – now available for 75% off the normal amount – with seven bonuses you’ll want to devour right now. Get this program and you, too, can let go of the stresses and strains, mistakes and setbacks from each day. In so doing, you’ll enjoy your victories, triumphs and successes even more.

So last night I’m sitting quietly watching a junior college pitcher train like a madman. He’s focused, intense and throwing the ball hard.

And he’s going for personal velocity records.

He throws several balls at 87 and 88 mph. And the pitching coach is encouraging him big time. But he doesn’t look like he’s got the juice to break any records.

Being there were only two guys training (I guess everyone else took the night off to watch Notre Dame get crushed) and the coach trusts me, I finally spoke up and revealed a couple secrets:

“Could I make a suggestion?” I asked.

“Sure, what is it.”

“Well, first let me ask. Where are you throwing the ball from.”

“From my hand.”

“I know that. But where’s your focus when you throw the ball. Where in your body do you feel a sense of your own energy.”

“In my head,” the young man said, pointing to his noggin.

“That’s what I thought,” i replied.

I stood up and walked toward him. “I’m wondering what will happen if you throw the ball with a different focus, with a different awareness.”

I noted that the athlete was very open to my suggestions, so I continued. I pointed to various power centers on his body (not his head) and gave him very brief instructions on how these centers work. Then I asked him to throw the ball again.

This time he threw it 90 mph.

The coach was blown away and gave me a hi-5.

Then I gave him new mental pictures of what to imagine when he throws the ball. He threw again. Once more, he added more velocity, hitting 91.5.

After this I gave him a different breathing pattern.

Once again, more velocity.

Then the coach switched drills – having him do a “turn and burn” – an exercise that yields maximum velocity. Just like before, the coach and the athlete are all ears, taking in my out of the box, Zen suggestions, applied to baseball.

Five minutes later the young man set another record, throwing the ball 100.2 mph.

Anyone who thinks what you picture in your mind doesn’t matter – doesn’t know what he’s talking about. What you imagine makes a monumental difference. How you see yourself, how you breathe, where you breathe from – all of this matters – and matters A LOT.

In sports today, there’s a ton of emphasis on mechanics. I would say that 99.9999 percent of what athletes are taught has to do with where you place your foot, your head and your hand. But there’s virtually nothing on what to picture, what to imagine and how to really use the biggest mechanism you have – your own mind.

Incidentally, when the athlete focused on the images I gave him, guess what happened. Not only did he throw harder, but his mechanics improved. He moved as one unit rather than a group of independent body parts. And boy, was he ever smooth.

I love it when I witness this change in athletes, especially when it happens in a matter of minutes.

But the truth is that anyone in any endeavor can derive the same sort of positive benefits, once he knows how to use the power of mental pictures – as taught in the Zero Resistance Living System.

This program is currently available for a fraction of the value it contains – and there are 7 gifts you receive when you order NOW.

Go read the story about the program by clicking here – and make your future brighter than it has ever been.

Best,

Matt Furey

My goodness, you’d think it was Armageddon here in Tampa Bay.

After reading the headline “The End is Near” with a photo of a despondent, depressed and disgusted baseball player on the Rays team – I’m sure some might think it really is the end of the whirld.

A year ago, the team was filled with optimism despite having about as much chance of making the playoffs as a dog has for solving quadratic equations.

But this year, negativity abounds. A week ago, when the team lost to the Orioles, the same key player pictured in “The End is Near” was quoted as saying, “We cannot lose anymore games.”

Wait a second, you’ve got three weeks left and you’re talking about all the games for the rest of the season. Whatever happened to take one game at a time. Look at the future but live in the present.

One of the big keys to success in life, in any arena, is knowing when to stop looking ahead. And the answer is “most of the time.”

Yes, you set goals for the future. You picture them, you think about them, you even make plans on how you’re going to achieve them. But most of the time you’ve got to live in the present because that’s all you ever have anyway.

The future is pictured in the now. The past is remembered in the now. And the now takes place in the now.

Earlier today a good friend, who played in the MLB for many years and owns a World Series ring, called and said, “Hey, I was watching one of your players in the game the other day.”

“Yeah,” I said. “What’d you think?”

“I think he doesn’t want to be out there. He’s just putting in his time. And his attitude has infected the whole team. They’re all playing like they want to get the season over with.”

“You know, I never thought of it that way,” I replied. “But I think you’re right.”

“Look at it this way, this guy is supposed to be a club house leader. He’s a veteran player. And if he doesn’t care, what message do you think is trickling down to everyone else on the team.”

A few days ago I was mentoring a business man facing the very same issue. He has someone on his staff who is negative, and the bad vibe has infected the entire office.

What to do?

Fire the person or see if you can turn him around.

Turning around someone’s negativity is a job you don’t want to wish on anyone. It’s no easy task.

Why?

Because the person who is negative rarely wants to change. So the best thing you can do is make yourself better – and those who want to be around your positive influence will change because they want to – not because you told them they better do so.

You cannot afford to keep negative people around because they tend to make everything around them worse rather than better. Despite all your valiant attempts to pull others up, chances are excellent you’ll only be brought down in the process.

This is why “environment” is so important to success. It trumps genetics. It trumps natural talent. It trumps who you know and what you study.

If you associate with people who are good at what they do, they’ll make you better. If you associate with people who are great at what they do, they’ll make you greater. And if you get around those who’ve mastered something, you to can rise to the level of master.

The opposite is also true. Run with chickens and you’ll become fearful. Swim with flounder and you’ll become bottom feed. Any success you may have while going in the wrong current with the wrong school  will be a “fluke.”

In life, as well as in baseball, you don’t look too far into the future. You don’t play three weeks worth of games, today. You take care of today’s game NOW. You take care of the next pitch NOW.

And you play the game one breath at a time.

Set goals for yourself – but focus on today, this moment. Right now.

Best,

Matt Furey

P.S. To live in the NOW and approach your future in the most powerful way there is, be sure to look into the Zero Resistance Living program. It changes lives from the inside out – the only real way change ever happens.

Something incredible took place last night – and chances are you missed it. Unless you live in Minneapolis, chances are it was barely mentioned in your hometown newspaper – if at all.

I’ll tell you more about this event in a minute, but first, last August, the media was fixated on WHEN Alex Rodriguez, aka A-Rod, aka A-Roid, was going to hit his 600th home run.

I attended a Rays v. Yankees game when A-Rod still had 599.

He didn’t start the game, so when he came up to pinch-hit in the 7th inning, the crowd went nuts – hoping, cheering and snapping photos of what they hoped would be numero 600.

To no avail.

Fans would have to wait until August 4, when A-Rod smacked his 600th on the anniversary of his 500th, at Yankee Stadium.

Now, I give A-Rod a lot of credit. He’s a great ball player. I just don’t like the fact that he hasn’t gotten where he is today without performance-enhancing drugs.

Be that as it may, the big story that you may have missed is this: Last night, a non-steroid user hit his 599th and 600th home runs in the same game.

Derek Jeter went 5-5 on the way to getting 3000 hits. But 28 people have 3000 hits. Only 8 have at least 600 bombs. And of the eight with 600 or more homers – only four did it without the use of steroids.

Hmmm. Is there a story here? I think so.

Jim Thome, 39, of the Minnesota Twins, became the 4th person in MLB history to hit 600 home runs without steroids. The others in MLB history to do so are: Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Willie Mays (660).

And where was the media coverage on this feat over the last month?

There was so little about this athletic feat it was sad. Truly sad.

Where’s the media coverage today – not to mention last night?

When compared to A-Rod, it’s practically nil.

Now, here’s another part of the story that most in the media will never know. Ask A-Rod for an autograph and chances are you will never get one. He’ll walk right past you and pretend you don’t exist.

What about Jim Thome?

Well, look at the ball he personalized to my son, Frank, and I think you’ll get a very clear picture of who Mr. Thome is, not as a ball player, but as a human being.

Jim Thome – congratulations on your magnificent achievement and an outstanding career. What you have done is truly awesome.

And thank you, thank you, thank you for the ball you signed for my son. We will treasure it forever.

Keep kicking butt and taking names. Also, look for a signed copy of Expect to Win – Hate to Lose – coming your way.

Matt Furey

P.S. I’ll be launching Expect to Win – Hate to Lose within a couple days, along with some other goodies. Get ready. It’s going to be out of sight.

It’s not often you get to see a father-son team winning at the professional level, but this past Monday evening, one day before the start of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, something truly spectacular took place during the finals of the annual Home Run Derby contest.

In the finals, Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees faced Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox.

Both men were calm, relaxed and focused throughout the event. Both were in no hurry to hit another one out of the park. Each took his time, waiting for the right pitch from the batting practice coach who stood before him.

But there was something different about Robinson Cano’s batting practice coach. He had the same last name as the superstar 2nd baseman. And that’s because he’s his father.

As I watched the action, I sensed that Jose Cano (the father) was just as committed to winning as his son, Robinson. Both shared the same goal, the same desire: To win it all.

This was confirmed when Cano went deep with the contest-tying home run. As he and his father walked toward each other to embrace, Jose, with commanding eyes held up his index finger and said, “One more.”

“I love you, Dad,” said Robinson as they hugged. No response from pops. Back to work. He’s got a job to finish.

When the action continued, it was fait accompli. Cano smashed another one into the seats, and the Home Run Derby trophy was his.

But wait. It was his and his father’s.

As the trophy was presented, both Cano’s, the elder and the younger, held it aloft for the photo-op.

“What you just witnessed was much more than baseball,” I told a friend. “It was the power of a spiritual connection between a father and his son, both of whom were committed to the same goal. Take it in because we may never see something like this again on the national stage.”

It’s one thing to have a goal you pursue with passion. It is quite another to have a bond with a family member who shares your desire to excel and works with you to the very end, making sure you achieve it.

This we know: Both father and son wanted to win the prize and were willing to work for it. It wasn’t the son all by himself. Nor was it a father pushing a son who doesn’t really want it. Both were working together in harmony toward a desired end. Both were in Automatic Success Mode. No stress. No tension. Just focus and DO IT.

What a magnificent sight to behold.

Now let me ask, are you in Automatic Success Mode or Automatic Failure Mode?

If you feel like you’re in a state of flow, if you feel like positive coincidences and circumstances are greeting you on a regular basis, then you’re in Automatic
Success Mode. And if you want to enhance the good in your life even further, you can easily do so with Zero Resistance Living.

On the other hand, if you feel like you’re in Automatic Failure Mode or, if you prefer, a negative rut, then there’s a quick way out of it. You learn to bring the positive back into your life through the proper use of your brain.

The Zero Resistance Living Course teaches you how to do this – and now, with the addition of some LIVE tele-seminars, I’ll help you absorb the material and get positive results even faster.

But you’ve got to be committed, just like Robinson and Jose Cano were committed. You’ve got to want to succeed as much as your coach, and vice versa.

Let’s do it together.

Claim your copy of Zero Resistance Living NOW and let’s travel the path of automatic success together.

Best,

Matt Furey

I just got a plug from a high-level baseball coach about my book, The Unbeatable Man:

“This book should be on the shelf of every winner’s library. If you want to propel yourself to metoric levels of success and fulfillment then get The Unbeatable Man right this second. It will catapult you to the top of the medal stand!! One of the best inspirational books ever”

Paul Reddick
The Master of MPH
PaulReddickBaseball.com

That’s so cool. And it proves that the winning concepts in this book are universal for all athletes, businesspeople and success oriented folk.

Best,

Matt Furey