Robert Walser once said, “I tell lies somewhere else, but not here, not in front of myself.” What are the lies you tell yourself so that you get by each day?

There is a big difference between being confident and being hopeful. Confidence is based on things you have done, while hope is based on the things you want to be done.

When I was in high school, I convinced myself I was the best player in the country. The problem was that I had not played competitive baseball against players from across the country to make that bold statement to myself. So, when the time finally came for me to be on the same field with players from the Midwest, West Coast and the North, I folded like a chair.

The truth of the matter was I had a lot of talent, but I was low on skills when it came to performing under stress.

• Talent is what you do well.
• Habits are what you do well repeatedly without thought.
• Stress is what you do well repeatedly without thought while under stress.

Be honest with yourself about what you can and cannot do on and off the field. If you have a full bottle and one that is half-full, which one can be poured into?

You make it really difficult to be coached when you have lied to yourself for so long about how good you are. That is when it is hard for people to help you.

As you march through the month of March, be honest with yourself about where you are as a player so that you can become the best version of yourself over time.

Remember: Intelligence tops being smart.

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C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 22 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and a track record of success that can work for you.