Beverly Sills Embraces the "Ted Williams Drill"
Rich Russakoff
Internationally Renowned Speaker, Serial Entrepreneur, #1 Amazon Best Selling Author & Coach of 7 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winners, and over 100 INC. 500 Award Winners.Sc
"People always told me that my natural ability and good eyesight were the reason for my success as a hitter. They never talk about the practice, practice, practice."?
- Ted Williams, baseball Hall-of-Famer
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Beverly Sills is one of America's most acclaimed Opera singers. In 1971, she made the cover of Time Magazine, which proclaimed her "America's Queen of the Opera."?
In 1975, she debuted at the Metropolitan Opera and received an 18-minute ovation.
In 1956 she married Peter Greenough, a journalist and business editor for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and moved to Cleveland. Greenough was an avid baseball fan and always came to the park early. On one occasion, Sills came with him and saw Ted Williams alone in the outfield. "What is that guy doing?" she asked. Greenough told her "That's the "Ted Williams Drill." He's checking for bumps in the wall and holes in the turf. He does this before every game."
It struck a chord. In a recent performance, Sills should have checked her props and costumes before a concert. When she put on the helmet as the curtain rose, she discovered it didn't fit, and the furniture on stage was out of place. As a result, Sills was rattled and her timing was off; it was her most disappointing performance.?
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While others were in awe watching Williams, one of baseball's greatest hitters, during the game, THE TED WILLIAMS DRILL with Ted alone in the outfield inspired Beverly Sills.?
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From then on, Sills checked her costumes, music, props, the stage, the hallway - even the curtain. She learned the hard way about the importance of preparation. Sills came to understand that careful preparation was crucial.?
Before every performance for the rest of her career, she'd implement her version of the Ted Williams Drill. Years later, she said in an interview, "There is no shortcut to anything worthwhile."
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Shouldn't we all have a "Ted Williams Drill" when our performance or actions matter?
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Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
- James Baker (an American statesman) made the quote famous and learned it from his grandfather.
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