As we head into the World Series, I couldn’t help but reflect on the similarities between baseball and fundraising.
My husband—a Little League coach—always reminds me that baseball is a game of failure. For instance, the very best players who get into the exclusive Baseball Hall of Fame often have batting averages of .300 or less. That means they get a hit no more than 30% of the time at their at-bats.
Or you could say…they fail about 70% of the time!
Yet, a batting average of .300 is considered to be an excellent average.
These players go up to bat day-in and day-out in front of thousands of fans knowing they will fail many more times than they will get a hit, often striking out.
What keeps these athletes motivated in this environment? A big part of it is mental toughness. Players must maintain a positive attitude in the face of these pressures.
Now, think for a minute about fundraising. Do you get every gift you ask for? Of course not. You will hear more “no’s” or “maybe’s” than you will hear “yes’s.” Good fundraisers are like good baseball players: They have the mental toughness to deal with this adversity and keep going.
So, turn your fundraising into a Hall of Fame-worthy performance with these gameday baseball tips:
- Set goals: Determine your short- and long-term goals and create steps to achieve them.
- Stay positive. Boost your confidence by talking to yourself in a positive and encouraging manner.
- Visualize success. Players visualize themselves making plays and hitting the ball. Visualize yourself building great relationships with donors.
- Prepare mentally. Review play-by-play strategies in advance of donor meetings and role-play these meetings with your team. As Yogi Berra once said, “Ninety percent of the game is mental.”
- Learn from failure and adjust. Review yourself honestly when a meeting doesn’t go as planned. Learn from it, but don’t dwell on it. Move on to the next meeting.
- Stay in the present. Don’t let your mind wander to Game 7 when you are in Game 1. Stay focused on the play at hand.
- Be in top condition. Baseball takes a toll on the body, but so can stress when you have too much on your plate. Rest and take care of yourself so you are in top form for fundraising.
How you deal with the “fundraising failure” is the difference between success and defeat.
