Boost-Mode Newsletter | January 24, 2025

📖 What I’m Reading – Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy

This week, I’ve been reflecting on what it truly means to live a life of freedom and purpose. Jim Murphy draws on Abraham Maslow’s insights to challenge the idea that success is about possessions, achievements, or status. Instead, real freedom comes from living with vision, courage, and peace.

Murphy compares life to a choice between two paths:

1️⃣ The Popular Road: Easy, flashy, and full of applause but ultimately leaves you empty and restless.


2️⃣ The Narrow Path: Harder, less glamorous, but full of deep joy, contentment, and confidence. To live fully, we must avoid the "affluenza virus"—a life obsessed with more: more possessions, more status, more validation. Instead, Murphy highlights nine traits of those who live with an undivided heart:


1️⃣ Total Absorption: Being fully present in the moment.


2️⃣ Personal Growth: Focusing on learning and growth over approval.


3️⃣ Self-Awareness: Understanding your true motives and values.


4️⃣ Gemeinschaft: Building deep connections and community.


5️⃣ Gratitude: Finding joy in simple, everyday moments.


6️⃣ Authenticity: Staying true to yourself over external expectations.


7️⃣ Solitude: Embracing time alone for reflection and clarity.


8️⃣ Purpose Beyond Self: Dedicating yourself to a cause bigger than you.


9️⃣ Lack of Ego Defenses: Letting go of pride and emotional walls to grow.

What hit me most is how often we confuse winning with living fully. When I played pro baseball, I thought success was about hitting home runs or wearing the uniform. But what I really loved was being fully alive—playing with passion, growing as a teammate, and embracing the process.

💡 Takeaway: True freedom isn’t found in trophies or praise; it’s in the growth, courage, and joy of the journey. Ask yourself: Are you pursuing what matters, or are you chasing temporary rewards?

🎥 What I’m Watching – Arnold on Netflix

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Austrian legend, and this Netflix docuseries should be required watching for everyone from Austria and California (where I’m from)! Arnold’s story takes him from growing up with a tough, abusive father in a small Austrian village (Thal) to becoming a global icon—Mr. Olympia, The Terminator, and even “The Governator.”

What’s incredible about Arnold is his ability to visualize success before it became reality. He used discipline and a relentless work ethic to rise above his circumstances and chase his dreams. From bodybuilding to Hollywood to politics, Arnold showed us that with big dreams and consistent action, anything is possible.

💡 Baseball Connection: Like Arnold, athletes must see it before they can become it. Visualization is a powerful tool—imagine your success, then go out and create it.

🔥 Takeaway: Arnold’s story is proof that you can achieve greatness with courage, vision, and discipline. Dream big and take action daily.

🧠 What I’m Learning – MLK, Jackie Robinson, and Breaking Barriers

This week, the U.S. celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. For those unfamiliar, MLK was a leader of the civil rights movement, fighting for racial equality, justice, and unity.

MLK understood the connection between sports and social change. He once told baseball pioneer Don Newcombe: “You’ll never know how easy you and Jackie (Robinson), Roy (Campanella), and Larry (Doby) made it for me to do my job by what you did on the baseball field.” Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in 1947 wasn’t just a sports moment—it was a courageous stand that paved the way for leaders like MLK to push for equality.

This week, the Dodgers made history by signing the first player from South Sudan—a young man I met last year. His journey is just beginning, but like Jackie and MLK, he’s breaking barriers and inspiring others to follow.

💡 Takeaway: MLK Day reminds us that courage and unity can create lasting change. Who can you inspire by stepping into your own greatness?

✍️ What I’m Writing – Outdoor Training Protocol

With spring around the corner, I’m finalizing our team’s outdoor training plan. It’s not just about skill-building—it’s about preparing mentally and physically to handle pressure and thrive as a team.

✅ Focus Areas: Staying present, building resilience, and mastering teamwork.

💡 Takeaway: Preparation isn’t just physical—it’s mental. Train your mind as much as your body to handle anything that comes your way.

⚾ This Week’s Theme: Breaking Barriers & Living Fully
Whether it’s learning from Maslow’s nine characteristics, visualizing your success like Arnold, or honoring trailblazers like MLK and Jackie Robinson, and Joseph Deng this week is about stepping into your potential and inspiring others along the way. 🚀 Let’s show up, work hard, and enjoy every moment. Coach AB 🧢 

#InnerExcellence #BaseballMindset #MLKDay #Leadership