We have another exciting episode, this time with former Major League pitcher, former Atlanta Brave, James Parr, a great dude, someone who I have yet to even meet in person but we’ve really built this relationship up over the last year. Pretty much through social media, we’ve been talking on the phone a lot a few times over the last year. I think the world of this guy, the world of what he’s doing for young athletes and as well as this Pro4mer business that he has. In the interview, he’ll go more in-depth about that and how it is serving young athletes in many states and is only going to continue to grow over time.

Being in Atlanta Braves, I don’t know what it is about that organization, but they do seem to find these genuine and incredible guys. I don’t know if they find them or if they develop them. Is it the chicken or the egg? I’m not sure. There have been so many guys that I’ve come across in my journey who just are very special people and they seem to be drafted and groomed by that organization. The Braves have so many phenomenal players over the years, especially from the pitching standpoint when you think of the Maddux and the Smoltz and the Glavine and you got Bobby Cox being the manager as well, so many great things. I’m excited to bring you another one of those, James Parr.

What I also want to mention too is getting the opportunity to serve 40 young basketball players at a high school out here in Texas. It was a true honor, true blessing. My big takeaway, when I sit down and I’ve got a couple of hours to share some of the steps and some of the principles that I’m so passionate about. Then there’s always this when you get in the flow and something new comes out, something that I’ve never said in that speech or in that setting. The flow that I got into was really talking about how we need to give ourselves more credit as athletes. We seem to live in this perfectionist type mentally, this perfectionist type state. People will tell you, “I’m trying to be perfect. I’m trying to be outstanding. I’m trying to be the very best.” To me, perfection is the lowest standard that you can possibly aim for. You already know it’s not possible to be perfect. You already know that. I see others all the time setting themselves up for failure and beating themselves up because they’re not hitting these perfect standards.

I’ll have a lot of clients who, even when they meet their expectations, they don’t give themselves credit. An example of that would be if you’re a hitter. I’ve had clients who are 400 hitters. If they go off and play in this weekend tournament and they go 4 for 10 or 8 for 20, they meet their average, their expectations. They don’t even give themselves credit, “I’m supposed to do that. I’m a 400-hitter.” If they only get a hit or two at ten at-bats, then they beat themselves up that they didn’t do good enough, didn’t well enough. They’re in this double bind situation, this no-win situation where it only leaves about 10%, maybe 5% of those times, those games, we excel, when we play better than we’ve ever played before. Then we’re okay and we’re happy and we give ourselves credit. A really interesting phenomenon that happens at that point is now you’re expectation has been raised yet again. It’s even higher now. Now, you expect to play at that even greater more outstanding level. It becomes even tougher to hit that expectation as well.

One of the things that I’ve taught so many, and I talked for a long time to this big group in Texas about, is their GPA. Not your school, not your academic GPA. Finding, making a daily habit, writing it down if it need be. Writing it down makes it even more powerful. It’s going to help you stick to this habit. It’s going to make it more real. Write down one thing that you’re grateful for. Sometimes I give the suggestion, “Write down one thing you’re grateful for that you have no control over getting.” It was just a blessing. It was a gift. It was a coincidence. So grateful when things just seem to magically line up right or they’re divinely blessed. What’s one thing that you can be grateful for? Think about your heart. You did nothing to deserve or earn this heart. It was given to you. As long as your heart beats, there’s a purpose to live your life.

The P for GPA is something that you’re proud about. I’ll challenge you, don’t always make it about things that you’re proud about that you achieved or that you accomplished. Feel proud about your effort. Maybe there’s a big goal, a big dream that you’re on this mission looking to achieve. Feel proud about the effort and the work that you put in towards it today. Even if you’re weeks, you’re months or years away from this achievement of this dream or this goal of being that person. You could feel the pride of knowing that you put in the work to get there today. Then the A, is appreciate something about yourself. I don’t know if there’s a more powerful thing that you could do. Take a moment to really appreciate the things that you like about yourself.

Every day, focus on your GPA. What that does is it builds an energy, it builds a momentum, so that when challenges, when adversity pops up, you’ve got this big energy like a snowball, it’s getting bigger and stronger every day. When those challenges, these walls come up in our path, we’re able to knock them down. It’s not going to slow us down a bit.

With that soapbox moment being over and talking about your GPA, I’d like to call James Parr up to the mound. He and I will see you on the other side.

Listen to the podcast here:

 

MLB Pitcher James Parr: Developing Talent

I’m really excited to have you here on the show today and excited to be able to pick your brain and see what comes up.

Thank you for having me.

The first thing I’d love to know, just hear a little more about your story, where you grew up, how you got involved in the game, and maybe some favorite ball players, teams, heroes along the way as well too.

<figure id="attachment_835" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Developing Talent: I played the game from the time I could pick up a bat and a ball when I was young.</figcaption></figure>

I was born and raised in West Albuquerque, New Mexico. I played the game from the time I could pick up a bat and a ball when I was young. I remember having a huge red bat in the backyard. I think that’s where it starts for most of us who played at the level. I played baseball mostly year round. I played a little bit of Youth Football when I was young and a little bit of basketball in middle school and then didn’t play into basketball in high school just because it ran into baseball season. I knew I want to commit myself to baseball. Summer time and I guess a lot of the years’ time was taken up by baseball. Drafted by the Braves in 2004 in the fourth round. I was at a high school All American game when the draft was going on which was pretty cool. I heard the name called. There are several other guys drafted that day, big names like Dexter Fowler, Matt Wieters. I’ve lived in Orlando for about the past eight years just after my career concluded. I met some friends here, found a good church, and call this home now.

In 2004, you heard your name called. Did you listen to it online? How did you find out about getting drafted?

We were in a conference room, all the kids from this All American team. It was a national event. I remember getting a phone call from the Braves just before it was called on the radio, telling me that they were going to select me. Awesome day, it’s something you never forget obviously.

I’m curious too about Albuquerque. Do you have abnormally amazing lungs from growing up at that height and altitude?

In the southeast, it seems it’s harder to breathe here just because of the humidity. It’s following you wherever you go. One thing that I have heard from people about Albuquerque who have played in maybe the PCL Triple-A is the ball flies there. I never played in the PCL so I really don’t know the difference. It’s a big part. The Isotopes are there. It’s a Triple-A squad. It’s a big thing. Pitchers hate pitching there and hitters love it.

I don’t know the exact details or the actual height but it’s a thousand feet higher than Coors Field is what I have heard.

It’s 7,500 feet above sea level so it’s thin air. I notice it now when we go back to visit the family, my nose and my throat get dry. It’s definitely a little bit different.

It’s a launchpad. The bes