The journey in becoming a major league baseball player for me was pretty “simple.” Well, I wouldn’t say “simple” but in reality it was “simple” meaning because I loved the game itself so much. Let me explain.
Hello, my name is Terrmel Sledge and I am a former major league baseball player hoping I can help someone out there in reaching their dreams of becoming a major league baseball player. I wouldn’t say my journey was easy when in doubt it was actually the opposite. When I say easy I am referring to my thoughts in my head. Meaning when I was thirteen years old I remember watching a New York Mets game and I thought to myself, “ This is what I want to do!” I pointed my finger at the t.v and said, “ this is what I am going to do. I am going to play baseball on t.v.” It was as simple as that.
Over the years I have been told by numerous of people over my lifetime that they should have made it to the big leagues, that they messed up, they got injured, they were told they were to small, they didn’t get the chance, their coach *@$# them, etc. All of these are probably true and I am not knocking that. I am just saying these are all the same things that I experienced along my journey.
By NO means am I perfect. I am far from perfect and I made a lot of mistakes in my life. But if you can take one thing out of this I would tell you to love “The Struggle.” Love the fight! Love the blood, sweat and tears of being knocked down over and over and over again. You will get knocked down. Your heart will be tested. If you persevere then finally the last time you have dusted yourself off the ground, you will realize you have made it further than most of all your peers around you and most of the people in the world fighting for the same goal you sought after.
I believe I shouldn’t have made it to the big leagues with my god given talent. I wasn’t the fastest, strongest, biggest or most athletic guy on the field. I knew all of these things. But one thing I did know I had the advantage over people was my heart, my fight, my desire and most importantly my will to NEVER GIVE UP is the main characteristic God gave me that I thank him for everyday. This was the tool where I knew I had the advantage over most of my competition. I knew all I had to do was OUTWORK them.
I wasn’t a hall of famer and I didn’t play over ten years in the big leagues. But I made it and no one can take that away from me. Maybe in reality I was not suppose to do all those things. I was just a “simple” guy who made it some place where few people in the world thought he could. Don’t ever give up on your dreams and no matter how hard it gets don’t ever quit. If I did it then you definitely can!
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