Darrin Donnelly

Anyone can be optimistic when things are going well. Anyone can be positive for a moment, a day, or a week. But it’s a commitment to positive thinking that makes the difference—a promise to yourself to permanently change the way you respond to the endless series of negative events we all experience. That’s what makes the difference. When you commit yourself to positive thinking, everything changes.

Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.

I focus only on the things I have total control over: my effort and my attitude.

A clever phrase used often is: ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’

Take control of your self-talk. Don’t listen to yourself. Talk to yourself.

To succeed in baseball, you must learn not how to avoid failure, but how to quickly bounce back from it—with optimism and perseverance. That is what positive thinking is all about. It’s about responding to life’s obstacles with a positive, never-back-down attitude. It’s true in baseball. It’s true in life.

I choose faith over fear.

Your mind is the most powerful weapon you have and your self-image serves as its guide. Change your self-image and you will change your life. That’s one of the most important truths you will ever learn.

Make sure to always include the opportunities ahead of you as things you’re thankful for. This will help you visualize being the person you want to be and achieving the things you want to achieve.

Don’t give your power to anyone else. Your only goal should be to become the best version of you, not the best version of someone else.

You have to walk your own path and become the person you were meant to be. You can’t focus on becoming your best if you’re constantly looking over your shoulder at what someone else is doing.

Remember, you can’t consistently perform in a way that is inconsistent with your self-image. If the mental image you have of yourself is set at a certain level, you’ll never consistently perform above that level. You might have moments where you do, but they won’t last.

As with any other worthy goal, the biggest hurdle is usually believing you can do it. Once you have the confidence that you can do it, it feels like nothing can stop you.

I believe there are two types of people in this world: Those who believe success is a choice and those who make excuses for why they’re not successful.

Something magical happens when you quit thinking about how tired you are, how much you hurt, or how much things are going wrong for you. When you find yourself thinking like that, you have to shift your attention away from yourself and onto what you can do for others. Try it. You won’t believe the results.

When fear says, ‘You should seek safety by refusing to change,’ you counter with, ‘I will seek victory by choosing to grow.’

Expectations you set for yourself have a tendency to come about, and if you’re not clear about where you see yourself going, you can wind up anywhere.

The first step in defeating fear is recognizing its voice. Recognize it, block it, then battle it back. Don’t passively allow fear to have its way with you.

I dream big and I ignore the naysayers.

Simply believing that you were put on this earth to fulfill the very specific purpose of becoming the best version of yourself is undoubtedly a powerful spiritual purpose to live by.

I love what I do and I attack each day with joy and enthusiasm.

Give your best—always give your very best. Keep your mind in a positive state and be grateful for the opportunity. Experience and enjoy the present moment. As you do, be proud of yourself. Love yourself. Trust yourself. And then detach yourself from the results. Let go and trust.

Without a specific plan for making it happen, a dream is nothing more than a daydream. Having a viable plan for how you’re going to get from where you are to where you want to go is the quickest way to turn your wants into expectations. When you give your mind clear directions, it starts moving that way.

A purpose greater than yourself is essential to a successful life. If you’re not living a purpose greater than yourself, it’s only a matter of time before you give up on whatever it is you’re trying to do.

I am relentless and I will never give up on my dreams.

You’ve got to set goals that excite you and energize you. That’s one of the secrets to happiness—regardless of your profession. Always have something exciting to drive toward!

How you see yourself determines how you think, act, and live your life. Your self-image is one of the most important factors determining the quality of your life.

You see, you’ve got to want something so bad in life that you’re willing to make the sacrifices most people won’t. That’s where you’ll find your edge. That extreme desire to achieve something only comes when your goal is aligned with your true passion.

Trust that whatever is happening to you is actually happening for you. Trust that every single obstacle you face is providing you with a greater opportunity you would not have otherwise had.

‘Success is not something others can give you,’ Wooden said. ‘True success can only be attained by knowing you did your very best to become the best you’re capable of becoming. I don’t care what the scoreboard says, what your record ends up being at the end of the season, or what your job title is. If you give your best, you will be a success.’

You don’t just owe it to yourself to be an optimist; you owe it to everyone around you. A pessimist sucks the energy out of the room. Nobody wants to put up with somebody who’s bitter and cynical all the time. Not your friends, not your teammates, not your boss, and certainly not your spouse.

You want to know what your life will look like a year from now? Listen to what you’re saying when you talk to yourself. Your self-talk determines your future.

Gratitude is a choice. It’s also the quickest way to turn yourself from negative to positive. It doesn’t matter what is going on around you. You can always find something to be grateful for.

Optimism won’t prevent negative events from happening; optimism will ensure you respond to those negative events in the most beneficial way possible—a way that leads to positive outcomes.

Fear feeds all the negative qualities that make you feel bad about yourself: doubt, self-hatred, and despair. Faith feeds all the positive qualities that make you feel good about yourself: self-confidence, self-love, and hope. When you choose faith over fear, you create a positive destiny for yourself.

When you follow your heart, keep your priorities straight, and live your unique purpose, good things happen. You just have to trust.

It’s hard enough dealing with whatever life throws your way. You only make it worse by worrying about what the critics will think of you.