Connie Mack will always be remembered as one of the greatest personalities in baseball.
After coaching the Philadelphia A’s for 50 years, he retired in 1950 at the age of 87 as the winningest manager in history.
Books could be written, and probably have been, on the management techniques of Connie Mack. Leaders have a lot to learn from his example.
One management technique: he refused to worry.
Early in his career, when he realized how worry was threatening to destroy his ability to lead — especially worries over past defeats — he forced himself to get so busy preparing to win today’s game that he didn’t have time to worry about yesterday’s losses.
He summed up it by saying, “You can’t grind grain with water that has already gone down the creek.” This colloquialism may be lost on many of us, but it’s Mack’s way of saying what St. Paul said …
But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13-14)
This works.
The act of preparing today keeps your mind off yesterday’s regrets and away from tomorrow’s uncertainties.
So give your attention to what is really pressing this day … and press on.
