Curt Schilling is a five-time Major League Baseball All-Star who has won 166 games and struck out over 2,500 batters. One of the strengths of National League MVP and World Series champion is not his fastball, or the location of his pitches, but his willingness to listen to people around him:
• Once, in Little League, Curt got upset because he thought his coach wasn't playing him enough. He was moping around the house until his father told him he should quit if he was so unhappy. "He knew I wouldn't quit," Curt says, "so he said, 'Then it's your job to work harder and become a better player. Make the coach change his mind about you.' "I've never forgotten that advice."
• Curt's wife, Shonda, challenged him to take his game to the next level, as she fought her own fight against cancer.
• Cy Young winner Roger Clemens of the Houston Astros, pulled Curt aside during an off-season workout in the Astrodome and lectured him at an early age that he was foolish to waste the precious gift he had.
• From National League Cy Young winner Greg Maddux, the pitching ace of the Chicago Cubs, Schilling learned that the key to preparation is to understand when a hitter is going to swing and when he is going to take a pitch.
• Hall of Fame great Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals spent hours with Curt talking about the art of pitching high-velocity fastballs.
• From National League Batting Champion Tony Gwinn of the San Diego Padres, Schilling took his cue on how to approach his craft, which led him to amass a digital library of more than 30,000 video disks of every hitter he has ever faced.
Schilling is not just a student of the game, but a scholar concerning his competition. It is not unusual to see him moving and positioning his fielders for a specific batter or taking notes on a hitter while in the dugout after pitching to him.
The key for Curt Schilling was that not only did he ask for advice, he also listened to the advice that people gave him. The most important point is that Schilling plugged into that advice. He applied what he learned. Listening and understanding is important, but it is in the application that makes all the difference!
Solomon once said, "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7 NIV).
Maybe you are thinking that wisdom would be a good thing to possess? You're right! According to Solomon, wisdom is the one thing you must have-regardless of the cost. It is a pursuit you should take seriously.
The Master's Playbook makes it very clear that we should seek counsel from others. Proverbs 12:15 (THE MESSAGE) says, "Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice."
Advice, knowledge, and a great array of wisdom can and should come from many advisors. Listen to this last nugget of wisdom from Solomon, "A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers" (Proverbs 24:5-6 NIV).
Plug into wisdom where you can find it. It is a key to victory. It is a rock, a foundation of success, of power, and lasting contentment. Be a wise guy - GET WISDOM!
"THE EDGE” is a teaching tool, coaching from today's world of sports to help one better understand the scriptures using Biblical facts and principles to become better coaches, athletes, and fans. We strive at TTNL to be Biblically correct in our teaching - not necessarily politically correct.
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