Last night I was at the Rays v. Rangers ball game. It promised to be one of the greatest match-ups ever.
Two lefties: David Price and Cliff Lee.
What looked great on paper was even better in person.
Then Price, some 109 pitches into the game, lost his touch and had to be removed. Meanwhile, Lee looked like he’d go the full 9 innings, especially because he had only tossed 66 pitches through seven innings.
In the 8th inning I got up and headed to the back room to get a jump on the traffic. Also, I must admit, because the Rays were down 4-2 – and Lee looked unstoppable.
But in the previous Rangers at bat, Lee sat on the bench for 30 minutes as the Rays tried one pitcher after another, doing their best to keep the game close. So when Cliff Lee re-entered the game, even though he’d only thrown 66 pitches, something was totally off.
The Rays bats suddenly came alive and they worked him over like eggs in a blender. Next thing you know and the 4-2 Rangers lead was now a 6-4 Rays advantage.
What happened?
Lee’s arm went cold. He had too much rest.
There’s a saying, “Rest is rust.”
And there’s some truth to it.
In baseball, keeping a pitcher’s arm hot is crucial.
In life, keeping yourself hot is even more crucial.
Sometimes you need rest to regain your form. At other times you need to get off your duff and move, move, move. Wisdom is knowing which is which.
This past summer I rested my writing muscles for a little over two months. I’ve never done that before. For 15 years I’ve written everyday. I’ve also heard other writers claim that you should never rest.
At times I wondered if they were right. Would I lose my ‘mojo’ from the lack of putting words in print every single day?
Something inside told me that I’d be alright – that I’d come back stronger – and better.
That something was a mental image of myself as a writer. If I’d done it before, I can do it again.
Even big league pitchers have an off-season. They also rest three to four games after a start.
Sometimes their arm can go cold in a game. Likewise, after writing for an hour or so – your thoughts can get de-focused. When this happens, it’s time to change gears and do something else. It’s time to remove yourself from the game – and return the next day when you’re ready and rested.
Go for a walk. Do some stretching. Or practice Theatre of the Mind.
Anything that gets you back into your success grove.
Now that I’m back… and rested – I have some great updates to tell you about. They’ll be coming your way soon – so make sure you stay tuned.
Best,
Matt Furey
P.S. Read about the 4 Cardinal Principles of Physical and Mental Relaxation in the Zero Resistance Living Program they’ll help you come back stronger and better – day after day.
