So How Did Rick Help Izzy Get Out of the Jam?

Let’s get back to the story of Rick and Izzy in the bottom of the 9th inning. As Rick stood on the mound with his hand on Izzy’s shoulder, Rick could feel Izzy’s body shaking.

The humor served as an open valve, releasing Izzy’s pressure. The humor also opened up Izzy’s mind so it was receptive to a new thought, which Rick then provided.

Rick continued, telling Izzy that in a situation like they were in, nerves were to be expected, but those nerves didn’t need to get in the way of executing the task at hand. Rick directed Izzy to focus on the simple task he’d executed to perfection thousands of times before.

The nerves and the task could coexist nicely, with no diminishment in performance. Free from fear, worry, doubt, and a multitude of mental distractions, Izzy repeated to himself, “Hit the glove!” Based on his rapid change in demeanor and his superb performance, clearly Izzy took his coach’s advice to heart.

Rick helped Izzy out of the jam by reframing.