Skip to content

Our Digital Dust

Reflections on three fathers' experience and lives for our kids

September 25, 2017 Taking Ball Four

admin September 25, 2017 No Comments

In case you missed the subtlety of yesterday’s post, it was about the implications of having an obligation disguised as an opportunity and failing to take action. Today’s post is the inverse both in circumstances and advice.

Many young batters, especially those who can hit for power, often prefer to go for the fences rather than take a mundane walk. The glory of the home run or even a single is far more attractive to them than doing nothing to get on base. Ironically, the data show that most of these young hitters have very little success with this approach and consequently, the team suffers because they could have had an opportunity to score a run if the hitter at least made it to first. Pitchers recognize these hitters quickly and throw junk even with a full count leading the hitter to swing wildly rather than take ball four.

Sometimes, we have a similar opportunity in our daily interactions with others. Someone may say or do something that so strongly tempts us to provide unsolicited advice or guidance because of our worldly experiences (aka old age). However, when we offer that advice we often don’t put ourselves in the other person’s shoes or examine the circumstances from their point of view (age, experience, gender, mindset, etc.) and our input does not come across as intended. Our advice and counsel may also come across as correction which can offend or more strongly deter our friend from heeding it.

There are many colloquial sayings about “taking ball four.” Let sleeping dogs lie; People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones; etc. Interestingly, Muphry’s law states that “If you write anything criticizing editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written.” Choosing to take ball four is often misperceived as inaction and sooooo many of us deplore failing to act. Just remember, choosing to not do something is still doing something and sometimes not doing something is the best course of action. The key is being a disciplined, confident enough hitter to know when to take ball four or swing at strike three.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

September 2017
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« Aug   Oct »

Recent Posts

  • March 20, 2021 – You
  • Antiques, Friends and Patriots
  • Lent, Life, and Liberty
  • February 15, 2021 – Dingo Dogs, Moose, and Retirement
  • February 10, 2021 – Sweetness

Recent Comments

  • ROBERT HALE on February 10, 2021 – Sweetness
  • Bob Hale on Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Before…
  • June Hale on January 3, 2021 – We are back for 2021!
  • June Hale on January 3, 2021 – We are back for 2021!
  • Bob Hale on Welcome to a New Year?

Archives

  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017

Our Twitter Feed

Follow @@ourdigitaldust

Digital Dust
@ourdigitaldust

  • We have a new post at #ourdigitaldust! New post: March 20, 2021 – You https://t.co/ImvzApqWL7
    about 3 weeks ago
  • We have a new post at #ourdigitaldust! New post: Antiques, Friends and Patriots https://t.co/I3p2CUZdg8
    about 1 month ago
  • We have a new post at #ourdigitaldust! New post: Lent, Life, and Liberty https://t.co/ZaH7BcXQ2u
    about 1 month ago
  • We have a new post at #ourdigitaldust! New post: February 15, 2021 – Dingo Dogs, Moose, and Retirement https://t.co/CA7u1k9ejn
    about 2 months ago
  • We have an updated post at #ourdigitaldust! Post Edited: February 10, 2021 – Sweetness https://t.co/mhcyfJNaNt
    about 2 months ago
  • We have a new post at #ourdigitaldust! New post: Sweetness https://t.co/mhcyfJNaNt
    about 2 months ago
  • We have an updated post at #ourdigitaldust! Post Edited: Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Before… https://t.co/SgIcjSPXk8
    about 2 months ago
  • We have a new post at #ourdigitaldust! New post: Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Before… https://t.co/SgIcjSPXk8
    about 2 months ago
  • We have an updated post at #ourdigitaldust! Post Edited: January 24, 2021 – Carpe Annos Singulos (Seize the Year!) https://t.co/RUSFg3hOVa
    about 3 months ago
  • We have a new post at #ourdigitaldust! New post: January 24, 2021 – Carpe Annos Singulos (Seize the Year!) https://t.co/RUSFg3hOVa
    about 3 months ago
Copyright © 2021. Our Digital Dust
Powered By WordPress and Silver Quantum