I woke up this morning and as usual turned on the TV to watch the game. Wang Chien-Ming (Wang Xiaoming) started yesterday, but I watched one of the worst performances I’d seen — worse than when he completely fell apart. That’s life. Maybe it’s better to face setbacks earlier rather than later; when you’re young, a stumble still leaves time to bounce back. But if Wang doesn’t confront these struggles until he’s thirty-something, he might be finished — like the Yankees’ injury-prone pitcher, Pavano.
Back in school, whenever I faced competition, exams, or pressure, I noticed something strange about myself: on days when I felt physically great, I performed terribly. But when I came in with some ache or illness, I often performed surprisingly well. Maybe being ill shifted part of my mind elsewhere, so I could only focus all remaining attention on the task. The anxiety of outcome — the fear of losing — truly is a performance debuff.
Looked at another way, maybe it’s just that I have too much energy and can’t focus it all at once. XD
I hope Wang Chien-Ming can find a bit more grit and use the upcoming off-season to refine his pitches, build stronger mental resilience, and come back with more mature technique next year.
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