The Power Of Neutral Thinking

Last year in Indy ball, we started the season with a tough stretch of losses. Nothing felt easy. The frustration built up quickly, and the team was feeling it. What changed things for us had nothing to do with mechanics, strategy, or game plans. It came from adopting a neutral mindset, a concept I learned from Trevor Moawad.

Neutral thinking is simple. It means accepting reality without adding judgment. You are not overly positive, and you are not negative. You just acknowledge what is happening and focus on the next controllable action. In a sport like baseball, where failure is constant, this mindset can be a game-changer.

As leaders on that team, we had to stop riding the emotional highs and lows. When coaches and veteran players show panic or frustration, the rest of the team follows. When leaders stay steady, players feel grounded. That shift changed everything for us. The dugout felt calmer. The energy was more consistent. Guys started to compete pitch to pitch instead of letting previous at bats or innings bleed into the next.

As the season went on, we made a playoff push, not because we changed our roster or completely reinvented our approach, but because we learned to stay neutral and handle adversity with a clear mind.

Neutral thinking is something I have carried into coaching. If I stay steady, players stay steady. If I focus on what we can control, players follow that example. It keeps development moving, even in tough stretches when results are not showing up yet.