Science & Soul with Dr Kristen Holmes MLB Coach: How Baseball Can Teach You to Deal with Failure
Aug 27, 2025
Marius Aleksa, the Mental Skills Coach for the Miami Marlins, shares insights on transforming mental resilience in baseball. He discusses techniques for overcoming pressure, emphasizing the importance of learning from failure. Marius highlights how to define success on your own terms and the importance of routines versus superstitions for mental toughness. He also addresses the mental health challenges athletes face and the significance of self-compassion and mindfulness in enhancing performance, both on and off the field.
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Failure Is The Game’s Core Teacher
- Baseball is a game of constant failure, which forces players to build systems to manage outcomes.
- The key question is what processes you use to learn from failure and keep momentum moving forward.
Trust A Defined Process, Then Test It
- Define a clear, intentional daily process and only re-evaluate it after a pre-set sample size.
- Give yourself runway (e.g., 10 at-bats or several games) before changing steps based on emotion-driven reactions.
Experiment Playfully Before Game Time
- Use curiosity and tiny experiments to test adjustments without pressure.
- Frame early practice as play so changes can be trialed safely before game-time routines.
