We Need BABIP In Life

During a recent weekend, Michelle and I packed a whole lot into 24 hours. We took part in three incredible fundraising events, and I walked away inspired by the people who pour their hearts into making a difference.

First up was an event with the The Kansas City Royals Foundation , where I had a great conversation that sparked this week’s thoughts (more on that in a bit).

Next, Michelle and our daughter attended an event called Bunko & Brownies - Cards & Cookies, organized by two young ladies in Sterling, KS. They’re part of an entrepreneurial class and used their event planning project to raise money for Light Up The Dark, an organization doing incredible work. Great job, ladies!

And to cap it off, we attended the 20th Anniversary Central Kansas CASA Chocolate Auction, thanks to our friends Dennis and Kari Wilkie and the Roof Master’s sponsored table. The event was sold out, and the generosity in the room was unbelievable. Hundreds of people came together to support kids who deserve a better start in life than they’ve been handed.

Before I get into this week’s thoughts, I just want to say, if you know someone who organizes these kinds of events, take a moment to tell them “Good job.” It takes a ton of effort to rally people around a cause, and they deserve some appreciation.

Baseball, Business, and BABIP

At the Royals Foundation event, I had the chance to chat over dinner with Kansas City Royals promising young player Michael Massey, and we got on the topic of baseball’s way of keeping you humble. No matter how talented you are, the game will find a way to knock you down from time to time.

That led me to bring up BABIP: Batting Average on Balls in Play.

BABIP is a stat that helps measure how much "luck" plays into a hitter’s performance. Let’s say a guy absolutely crushes a ball at 110 mph off the bat, but it goes straight to the second baseman. Out. Now, let’s say during another at bat the guy barely makes contact, and the ball dribbles along the infield just right - safe at first. Same batter. Same swing. Completely different outcomes. That’s baseball. Of course, the best hitters will always have better BABIPs, because skill matters, but even they don’t control every result.

Your BABIP in Business and Life

And that got me thinking… we need a BABIP for business and life.

How many times have you had a great idea that just didn’t work out? A project you knew had potential but somehow didn’t take off? A plan that made perfect sense but never quite clicked? It happens all the time. Sometimes, you can do everything right and still not get the outcome you want. Maybe the timing was off. Maybe the right people didn’t see it. Maybe the market just wasn’t ready. Or maybe it was just one of those bad bounces.

And here’s where a lot of people (including myself) get stuck. They take the bad break personally. They let one swing-and-miss convince them to stop stepping up to the plate. They stop swinging. But here’s the truth: The best hitters in the world fail 7 out of 10 times. In business, and in life, it’s no different.

Here’s another key piece of this: Just like in baseball, some players are always going to have a higher batting average than others. Let’s be honest - Elon Musk is going to have more great ideas than I do. But the good news? You or I don’t have to be a Hall of Fame hitter to make an impact. You don’t have to start the next Tesla or launch a rocket to Mars to make meaningful contributions to your job, your community, or the world around you. You just have to keep swinging.

The key isn’t avoiding failure, it’s learning how to read the results, adjust your approach, and take another swing. Because over time, when you keep showing up, when you keep putting the ball in play, the hits start dropping in.

This Week’s Challenge

Where in your career or personal life do you need to stop overanalyzing a bad break and just get back in the box? Robert F. Kennedy once said: "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." I’d say take that into account and give it another shot!

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

Let’s talk about it. Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or tag someone who needs this reminder today. And if you haven’t already, hit follow to stay connected for more Thursday Thoughts every week.