Athletes and Artists are more similar than they are different
Hey Athletes, You Have More In Common With Artists Than You Thought
Athletes and artists are not the same—in fact, they can’t be the same. Two separate groups in schools. Different friend groups, different likes and dislikes, and even different external behaviors. Artists are not generally athletic, and athletes don’t have a knack for creativity. Right?
Not entirely.
There was often a clear line of separation between various groups in school, creating boundaries not crossed without causing social ostracism. The creative kids loved theater and often lost themselves in their books, writings, or drawings. They were more interested in discussing color palettes and character arcs. Athletes, on the other hand, didn’t have time for any of that nonsense. We had practice to worry about the next game, getting stronger, faster, and more prepared than our opponent.
But the truth is, that is nothing more than the typical stereotype.
As young athletes, we didn’t realize we had more in common with artists than we knew.
When an artist creates something, there is a literal chemical reaction in their brain. Creating a painting, writing a story, or even acting on a stage permits the person to step outside themselves, remove all of their surroundings, and completely immerse themselves in their craft. When finished, they often can step back and view the complete work. That moment gives the brain a rush of dopamine—the feel-good chemical in the brain.
Dopamine is what is called a neurotransmitter. It acts as a chemical messenger communicating messages between nerve cells in your brain and the rest of your body. It’s like candy for your brain. And the more you get, the more you want. On one hand, it's how we understand and seek rewards. On the other hand, it’s also how we become addicted to unhealthy habits.
The dopamine rush an artist receives is precisely why we saw all those kids in school constantly consumed with the creative world. Once they got a taste, it almost became an addiction. They craved that feeling of performing, writing, drawing, painting, etc.
But it’s also the same dopamine rush you get when you make perfect contact with the ball. The crack of the bat reverberates through the stadium and the power you create. It’s just as pleasing to your brain and just as addictive.
In every case, it’s nourishment for your soul, whether the creative soul or athletic soul.
The feeling of the bat flexing in our hands, the nothingness of connection, and the exhilaration of hearing the crisp crack of contact are the sensations that define why we play baseball and why hitters, especially, obsess about hitting. Indeed, winning and camaraderie with our teammates all factor in, but, at its essence, it is these addictive sensations from the dopamine rush that consume us.
You fall asleep at night with the tingle of contact lingering through your arms, then wake up starving to feel it again. You spend hours hitting round after round under a blazing sun until your hands are blistered and bleeding just to feel the sensation of powerful and purposeful contact. It’s the dopamine doing what it does best—making you crave the satisfaction of the perfect hit repeatedly.
Those who don’t know the feeling don’t understand our obsession. However, everyone understands and feels the effect of dopamine. If asked why you love the feel of a solid hit, you might struggle to find the words that aptly describe the quest.
Painters, musicians, and writers, too, spend hours in the studio or at the easel obsessively playing or painting to quench their thirst for creative expression, chasing the dopamine rush—waking up each morning with an appetite for more. The only difference is the medium.
Every Creative Hero Needs A Guide
Most modern stories follow a format known as the hero’s journey. A hero is called on an adventure, faces a challenge he must overcome, meets a guide who helps him along the way, accomplishes the victory and is forever transformed. While the hero is chosen because they are unique, to be remarkable and find success, they must follow the council of guide. To be the best, you need a guide.
The dopamine rush leads the artist to crave more creativity and pieces of art and thus grow a stronger appetite for more success, and new challenges also need a guide. Getting there requires guidance as the artist's passion and desire for success grows. Whether music, art, theater, or writing, there are rules to create by—rules and techniques that actually foster greater creativity.
Learning these fundamental concepts provides a framework that the artist may create from. However, this framework is not rigid or confining. In fact, artists find even greater innovation when modifying and adapting fundamental techniques to grant them the necessary creative liberty to support their expression—and their guide is there to show them how. Picasso is known for changing the rules of scale and perspective, and Mozart often manipulated the key and meter of a piece of music to change its mood.
Finding the Creativity in Your Swing
Athletics operate in much the same way. Most hitters, parents, and coaches already understand and work within the basic framework each hitter needs to learn their swing's mechanics. However, what is often unrealized is that a baseball hitter, like an artist, must also be able to modify that fundamental framework of swing mechanics to creatively adjust to hit in changing situations, different pitchers, and pitches. Our program teaches this by communicating the feeling our swing creates. Identifying, interpreting, and communicating swing feelings provides a simple method to correct a swing flaw and a guide to unlocking the dopamine connection that leads to power and elite-level execution.
Rather than keying in on specific and repeatable mechanics that we hope will lead to a powerful and productive swing, we aim to find the right feeling. Our process teaches you what perfect contact with the ball feels like and opens the door to the necessary flexibility within your swing to adjust your swing in the moment to maximize the potential for repeatable success.
Our IHP helps players achieve this—the creative nuance to their swing aimed to produce maximum results. We help players become addicted to the feeling and teach them the language they need to communicate and the framework to produce elite-level results.
See ya on the field.
Coach Leo
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