Exit Sandman
Exit Sandman
Mo is leaving us. During the last 18 years, Mariano Rivera became the greatest relief pitcher in baseball history and he did it with the kind of poise, grace and simplicity that most often accompanies the best of the best. You may ask why I’m writing about a baseball player when I usually blog about creativity or art? To me, excellence in almost any endeavor feels like beautiful art at its core.
Mariano had one pitch. Simplicity. For those who aren’t baseball smart it means he just grabbed the ball and threw it to a spot…same way every time. Today, most pitchers have 3-5 different types of pitches with different rotations and speeds. Somehow the very best seem to not get caught up in the noise of what they “should” do… they just do it.
I don’t care whether you are talking about sports, music, food or art, you know it when you see it…or hear it or taste it. Greatness is undeniable. But, it’s also the by-product of rigorous study, practice and coaching on top of pure talent.
I love what we are doing at One River because we are teaching broadly across a variety of disciplines and helping students improve their skills and results. Our new summer programs add even more variety to the menu. My hope is that over time we can help people maximize their pure creative potential. Maybe one day we also help them figure out their one pitch.
Monday, March 11, 2013