HOME PLATE
There’s something painfully relatable about a guy sliding full speed into home… kicking up dust, crowd holding its breath… and then—misses the plate by that much.
Ouch!
A for effort; but as youth know, almost doesn't count.
Life does that sometimes.
You can hustle, sacrifice, commit, feel like you gave everything and still come up just short. Not because you’re lazy. Not because you didn’t care. But because precision matters just as much as effort.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
You can slide dramatically…
You can look impressive…
You can even get applause for the effort…
…but if you don’t actually touch home plate, the scoreboard doesn’t care.
What that says about life
1. Effort isn’t the same as execution.
A lot of people live in “almost.”
Almost disciplined.
Almost consistent.
Almost aligned.
And “almost” feels productive until results show up and say otherwise.
2. Emotion can trick you into thinking you arrived.
That player felt like he made it.
In life, we do the same thing:
- “I had a great week” (but didn’t follow through)
- “I’m close” (but haven’t actually finished)
Feelings ≠ outcomes.
3. The last 1% is usually the difference.
Most failures aren’t from being wildly off, they’re from being slightly incomplete.
Didn’t send the email.
Didn’t make the call.
Didn’t close the loop.
Missed the plate by an inch. So what do you do about it? Touch the plate on purpose.
That means:
- Define what “home plate” actually is. Not vague goals—clear endpoints. (“Get in shape” → “Workout 4x/week for 8 weeks”)
- Slow down at the finish line. People rush the last step like it doesn’t matter. It matters the most. Finish clean.
- Build a habit of completion, not just effort. Ask: Did I actually finish this? Or did I just get close enough to feel good about it?
- Check your intention. Is it clear? Are you fully standing at home plate, ready to swing? The ball is coming wires way; so is life.
Here's the takeaway:
Don’t be the guy celebrating mid-slide… while still hovering an inch away from the plate.
In your world — business, marriage, health, leadership — make contact.
Because in the end, life doesn’t reward the dust you kicked up…
It rewards whether you touched home.