Why is Daniel Murphy so HOT? Now, when I say hot, I’m not referring to Murph’s physical appearance. I’m referring to his tremendous production at the plate for the New York Mets this post-season.
Daniel Murphy is breaking records this October! Leading the Mets to the first Wold Series Appearance since 2000.
In sports, player’s go on hot streaks all-the-time. The BIG question is, why? If you ask player’s during the midst of a hot streak, “why are you doing so well?” Many times it’s hard for them to explain. Even though it’s difficult for an athlete to reason with why they’re doing something extraordinary, there are still major factors that go into a player’s extraordinary performance.
Below I’ve formulated some suggestions as to why athletes can get on a hot streak:
Repetition. Repetition breads confidence. The more you practice something, the better you become, the more confident you feel. In order for a hitter in baseball player to go on a hot streak, they need to constantly be able to manufacture hits or home-runs. Currently, Daniel Murphy is doing just that. Murphy hit a record setting 7 home runs in his last 7 games. Knocking a homer in each of last the last seven post-season games. A big part of this is because he hits more balls than anyone during batting practice and between games. His dedication to repeated batting practice has lead him on path of confidence and extraordinary play.
Coaching. I believe all historic hot streaks have a very knowledgeable coach that is guiding, directing, and motivating the athlete who is making history. Although the media doesn’t typically discuss this aspect of a player’s hot streak, more often than not, there is an experienced voice behind the athlete performing at an incredibly high level.
Making Your Opponents Think! When an athlete is playing great, every opponent they face looks to bring that athlete down to reality. This forces opponents to try a little harder, and work a little smarter. However, this mindset can prove to backfire. Working too hard or overthinking your next move, tends to take you out of your game. Giving that athlete who’s on that hot streak a competitive advantage.
Just Play. When you gain confidence and are doing well at something, you tend to pick-up momentum. You throw all negative emotions or thoughts out the window, and ride off the momentum that’s been created. When athletes are playing well, they rarely stop to think, “Why am I doing so well? What can I do even better?” Instead, athletes decide to ride the wave and think about 1 thing, “Just play.”
