Get on base

I’ve never been a home run hitter. I’ve never been one who had an amazing idea and knocked it out of the park. I’ve built my career on getting on base and letting good things happen.

I’ve hit a lot of singles in my life, and after I got on base I’ve been able to make things happen. I’ve stolen second, and then rounded third on an error, and since I kept moving along a little at a time, I have been able to score.

Every once in a while I do knock one out of the park, but that’s not normal. What’s normal to me is just trying to get on base any way I can so that I have a chance to score as often as possible. If I see a beautiful pitch coming down the middle of the plate, I will square up and knock it into the stands, but I’m never planning on that to happen. My plan is just to give myself a chance to score, somehow, and put myself in a position to win.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if you hit a home run or a single. What matters is how often you round the bases and score a run. Most people think there is only one way to run a business, but that’s not true. There are plenty of people who look for opportunities and take advantage of them a little at a time.

Those little opportunities can add up to big things if you stack one on top of the other. However, few people talk about that, because it’s not sexy. Home run hitters are sexy. Getting on base isn’t sexy, but they are both equally valid players. A team needs both, and you can make a hall of fame career getting on base and taking advantage of opportunities as they come up.

You don’t have to swing for the fences. Often, getting on base is enough. Every time you get on base, you have a chance to score, and when you have a chance to score, good things happen.