Thursday Thoughts: Full Effort Doesn't Equal Full Control

A while back, I had a conversation with my friend Dylan Connolly, the head coach of Sterling College Baseball. He was telling me about a young pitcher he's excited to develop, a lefty who doesn’t throw as hard as some of his peers. Instead of leaning into his natural strengths, this kid tries to throw as hard as he can every pitch. The problem? It actually makes him less effective.

For those who don’t follow baseball as closely, let me explain. Left-handed pitchers typically don’t throw as hard as right-handers, but their pitches often have more natural movement. I don’t know why, but I’ve seen it firsthand, and as a lefty myself, I can confirm it. So when a lefty who isn’t naturally gifted with a blazing fastball tries to muscle every pitch, he ends up changing his mechanics in a way that reduces that natural movement. And when he’s maxing out on effort, his control suffers too, leading to more walks. Think about it this way: the best hitters in baseball only get a hit about 32% of the time. That means the best hitters fail 68% of the time. But if you walk them, they get to first base 100% of the time.

The irony is that this young pitcher’s extra effort is actually working against him. Instead of refining his approach, managing his focus, and trusting his team to play their role, he’s trying to overpower the game. If he pitched to contact, focused on control, and managed his energy, he would give his teammates the chance to help and, in turn, the team would see better results.

This got me thinking about the parallels outside of baseball. In business, leadership, and our careers, we often believe that full effort means exerting maximum control. We push harder, micromanage, and overextend ourselves in an attempt to force success. But just like that young pitcher, our results suffer when we fail to trust our preparation, our team, and the process.

In business, we often confuse busyness with productivity. Leaders sometimes believe that the harder they push, the more they oversee, and the more they control every aspect of a project, the more successful it will be. But just like a pitcher throwing max effort on every pitch, this approach often leads to inefficiencies, errors, and burnout. Micromanagement suffocates creativity and trust, just as overthrowing the ball limits effectiveness.

Successful leaders understand that their job isn’t to do everything themselves. It’s to empower their team to execute effectively. They focus on strategy, provide guidance, and trust their people to deliver. The best companies thrive not because one person is working harder than everyone else but because the entire team is working efficiently within a well-managed system.

Think about the best teams you’ve ever been a part of. Were they built on one person doing everything, or did each team member have a defined role, trusted to execute? High-functioning teams don’t rely on a single superstar. They work together, leveraging each individual’s strengths while supporting each other’s weaknesses. The same principle applies whether you’re in a startup, a corporate office, or leading a nonprofit. Success doesn’t come from one person’s full effort. It comes from shared responsibility and trust.

Similarly, in our careers, we can’t always force outcomes by sheer effort alone. Sometimes, the best results come from stepping back, trusting our preparation, and allowing the work we’ve put in to speak for itself. Whether it’s leading a team, launching a project, or advancing in your profession, balance between effort and control is crucial. Over-efforting (not sure if that’s a real word) can lead to burnout, frustration, and in some cases, even regression. The more we try to do everything ourselves, the less we empower those around us to contribute, and ultimately, the less successful we become.

That Leads Me to This Week’s Challenge…

Where in your work or leadership are you trying to muscle your way through instead of working with control and trust? Take a step back and evaluate. Are you managing your energy effectively? Are you giving your team the opportunity to contribute? Are you focusing on control instead of effort?

This week, try delegating a little more. Give someone the space to take ownership of something, even if you think you can do it better. Resist the urge to control every detail and see what happens. You may be surprised by the results.

I’m thankful you took the time to read this, for choosing to work, and for being part of what makes this world amazing.

If this week’s Thursday Thoughts resonated with you, I’d love to hear about where you’ve seen this play out in your own life. Have you ever caught yourself pushing too hard instead of trusting the process? Let’s discuss. Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or tag someone who needs this reminder.