“You can choose to focus on the one at-bat you didn’t like… or you can choose to focus on all the positives and carry those into the next day.” — Ian Happ, 670 The Score (Rahimi & Harris)

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ dropped a gem on 670 The Score: even on a “good” day—when you have four or five quality at-bats—you can still leave the park frustrated by the one that got away. His point? Baseball’s hardest part is mental. Over an eight-month grind, you have to decide—daily—to be confident, to be your own biggest cheerleader, and to move forward with intention.

Below, we break down the skill behind Happ’s mindset and provide you with simple ways to apply these skills right away.

Why this matters

Baseball punishes perfection. If you let one bad swing or chase pitch define your night, the negativity bias wins, and your next game suffers. Happ’s approach is a masterclass in:

• Selective attention: choosing what gets your focus after each AB or game.
• Process over outcome: judging decisions, not just results.
• Daily confidence: building belief on purpose, not by accident.

Three ways athletes can apply these skills

1. Audit your at-bats by decisions, not hits
2. Score each AB on swing selection and timing (good / neutral / needs work). If the decisions were strong, it was a quality AB—regardless of the box score
3. Install a 10-second reset. After a frustrating AB: 1 breath → 1 positive from today → 1 next cue. Then, display tall body language: keep your eyes up and shoulders back.

For coaches & parents

• Debrief with questions, not lectures: “What went well? What’s one adjustment?”
• Praise process and presence (pitch selection, timing, posture), not just outcomes.
• Keep language consistent: “We carry the good reps forward.”

Use a Happ-inspired routine

APR: Assess → Positive → Reset

1. Assess the last AB in one sentence (“Chased 0-2 up”).
2. Positive you’re carrying forward (“Tracked spin well first two pitches”).
3. Reset cue for next time (“Short & on time”).

Thirty seconds. Confidence on command.

The takeaway

Happ’s message is simple and hard: choose your focus—every day—for eight months. Count the good decisions, learn quickly from the misses, and bring the right things into tomorrow. That’s how you stay confident through the grind.

Want help wiring these routines? Our Warrior Academy and 1-on-1 mental performance sessions give athletes the tools to review, reset, and compete with clarity.

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