Getting Hit by a Curveball vs...

I fee like life has a way of throwing curveballs in my life like with my kids, house, work, relationships and so much more. Some come out of nowhere, the sudden setback, the challenging person, the unexpected opportunity. Others seem to sneak up slowly, testing our patience and resilience.

After speaking with a few of my clients I am starting to realize that not everyone responds to curveballs the same way. Some people let themselves get hit. Others instinctively swing at every pitch. And a few recognize that the real art lies in discerning which pitches deserve a swing at all.

The Ones Who Get Hit

These are the people who see life’s challenges but don’t move. They freeze, absorb the blow, and carry the bruises forward. Getting “hit by the pitch” might look like letting criticism define you, staying stuck in a toxic environment, or taking on problems that aren’t truly ours to solve. Over time, the hits add up, leaving us weary, cautious, and hesitant to step back into the game with confidence.

The Ones Who Swing at Everything

Then there are those who swing at every single pitch life throws, fastballs, curveballs, wild throws in the dirt. Their energy is scattered because they’re always reacting, always trying to connect with something. They exhaust themselves chasing every opportunity, argument, or distraction. It feels active, but often it’s not productive. The busy bat doesn’t always equal the better batting average.

The Ones Who Choose Their Swing

The real difference-makers are the ones who learn patience. They see the curveball, acknowledge it, and choose. Sometimes they swing, sometimes they let it pass. They understand that not every challenge requires a reaction, and not every opportunity is worth the cost of effort.

Choosing when to swing takes discipline. It means not letting fear of missing out force our hand. It means being clear on our priorities and our goals. It means understanding that we have agency, not every curveball deserves our attention, and not every unexpected turn needs to knock us off balance.

The Lesson in the Game

I have learned more about baseball this past week because of this analogy, and in all reality baseball can teach us that the best hitters don’t swing at every pitch. They wait for the ones in their zone, the ones that align with their strengths, timing, and purpose. Life works the same way.

When we stop getting hit by curveballs and stop swinging at everything thrown our way, we create the space to connect with the pitches that matter most. Those are the ones that drive us forward, open doors, and give us momentum.

In the end, curveballs are inevitable. But how we respond to them is optional. We can get hit. We can fail. Or we can choose to wait, breathe, and swing at the ones that truly count. Batter up! ;)