Mookie Wilson's Wise Words to Live By

Are you in a slump? Have you ever been in one and found it difficult to shake? If so, let me pass along this little gem. I found it today on Twitter. It comes from Mookie Wilson, former Left Fielder for the New York Mets (and Toronto Blue Jays!). Mookie was perhaps best known for his switch-hitting and for hitting the go-ahead game winning RBI in game 6 of the 1986 World Series (aka the hit that turned Bill Buckner into the most hated man in a Red Sox uniform).

The Count also believes in Mookie!

But, apart from being a stellar baseball player, Mookie is also apparently a wise sage:

"When I'm in a slump, I comfort myself by saying if I believe in dinosaurs, then somewhere, they must be believing in me. And if they believe in me, then I can believe in me. Then I bust out."

Self belief is a critical part of all successful pursuits and sometimes it's easy to lose faith during a slump. Maybe you're struggling with a revision of a paper, or you have a lot on your plate at the office, or you're having trouble juggling different parts of your life? Whatever the situation, remember that you have faced tough times before and you have overcome them. Tell yourself, "I got this," take a break from the task and come back with fresh eyes, take a walk, make an outline, switch up your work routine, clean your workspace, go work out...And if all these things fail, you can do as Mookie does! Onward and upward!

Comments

The Long Shadow of Gun Violence (In Loving Memory of Bette Clark)

I met Bette and her oldest son, Joey, during a death penalty trial in Center City. It was the sentencing phase for the two men who killed her youngest son, Timmy, who was gunned down execution-style when he was 15. Caroline, an advocate with the Families of Murder Victims, introduced us. "Bette, this is Jooyoung. He's a researcher and wants to interview you." Joey sized me up and seemed protective of his mom, who had already been through so much. Her eyes were red from crying, so I said, "I'm really sorry to hear about what happened." She smiled a little and said in her Tacony accent, "Thank you. It's been such a long day. But, call me whenever, sure." I spent the next day with Bette and her family at the courthouse and visited them weekly over the next year. I hadn't planned on following the families of murder victims, but my ongoing research in Philly had pushed me in this direction. While getting to know gunshot

The Existential Fall Out after Newtown

The Existential Fall Out after Newtown I have a heavy heart tonight. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of Newtown. The Newtown shooting is a terrible tragedy. It has reminded me of lessons learned while studying the families of murder victims. For the past 2 years, I have been researching the everyday lives of families who lose someone in a murder. This has been difficult—and often heartbreaking—research. I have spent many nights thinking about how much I take my family, friends, and other people in my life for granted. I think about the mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings whose first and last thoughts of each day are of the person they loved and lost. The things that I have seen and the stories that I have collected have left a deep and permanent mark on my soul. Amongst the many thoughts swirling around in my head, I keep returning to a troubling “double standard” that we

Bas Rutten's Punk Payback: How (Not) to Act During a Robbery

El Guapo I love Bas "El Guapo" Rutten. The Dutchman was a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, 3-time King of Pancrase, and an all-around badass. Following his illustrious fighting career, he transitioned into MMA commentary. I've found his commentary insightful and think that he comes across as a very humble and approachable person. Recently, I learned that Fuel TV was producing a show for Rutten called "Punk Payback." I immediately thought that the show would be a spin-off of MTV's "Bully Beatdown," a show in which professional MMA fighters confront and beat up bullies. To me, this would make sense: Bas Rutten was bullied when he was younger and openly talks about developing self confidence/awareness through the martial arts. I just watched a 10-minute clip of Punk Payback and am surprised to report that it isn't this kind of show. Instead, the episode I saw featured Rutten providing colorful commentary on how to resist/disarm armed

Positive Sociology

Search This Blog