Position Yourself to Receive

Playing baseball was one of the happiest moments in my life. I enjoyed the spring heat, standing in wet grass, waiting for a fly or ground ball to fly my way before stopping it with my leather glove. I miss being at bat, not knowing how fast or slow the pitch will be before I decide to swing. I miss being on the pitcher's mound, turning as I plant my foot before pushing off with a fast ball down the middle or a little to the left of home plate. This would highly depend on whether or not the batter was left or righthanded. If there's anything I learned from baseball, it's that you never know what's going to happen. As a defender, you have to wait for the action to come to you. You have to place yourself in the position to receive the ball if and when it comes your way.

Many of us want so much to fall in our hands. We want money, power, and opportunities. We want advancements and conveniences. We want what we want when we want it. Cooperate America has to cater to that basic need on all platforms, whether it's the fast food industry or working in an office setting, collecting phone calls and meeting deadlines. We live in a time of immediacy. Many people place themselves in the position to give services. They work over the stove or sit in the chair behind the large desk. They sterilize before putting on latex gloves , mouth masks, head coverings and gowns. They count their drawers at the cash register and stock the shelves with merchandise. They practice and train hours upon hours, making sure they are at peak performance come game night. They position themselves to give consumers what they want...but as consumers, are we positioning ourselves to receive their services? 

Lets go back to baseball for a second. I was an outfielder (left field, specifically). When a right-handed batter came to the plate with a threatening batting stance, 8 times out of 10, it was headed my way. I would hear many of my teammates yell, "CJ, get ready!" Upon listening and watching, I would crouch down , ready to run, sprint, or back up. I would sometimes wiggle my fingers and feet, eager to go wherever the ball heads. My heart would race not because I was afraid of the impact of the ball, but because I didn't want to miss catching it...as in...miss the opportunity. I give myself more grace now because it would have been worse if I had not placed myself in the appropriate stance to snag that possible base run or homerun over the fence. 

Are you setting yourself up to receive what you desire? You want a new job. Are you polishing your CV? Are you searching and applying for jobs? Are you sharpening your hard and soft skills ? You want to date someone. Are you attempting to initiate contact? Are you asking questions to find out who they are and what they want out of life? Do their ambitions and values match yours as far as where you are and where you want to be? Getting what you want is the easy part. What's challenging is challenging yourself to go beyond your comfort zone. You can't overcome flying if you don't board a plane. You can't breach your fear of heights if you never enter tall buildings. The truth of the matter is this process can be scary. It can be overwhelming. It can cripple your current state of mind, having you assume it will destroy the most important part of your faith--hope. If anything, it will increase it. 

When it's time for you to receive that metaphoric fly ball, position yourself. Have your glove ready. Position your feet so you can run after that opportunity. If you miss it, that's okay. There are still more innings to play. The most important part is reaching, not resisting. Rest when you can, but when it's time to play, go get it!