Growing up, I played a lot of baseball. As I grew older, I played on several competitive teams, faced hundreds of pitchers and took thousands of swings at the plate. I learned the discipline required to consistently hit .350 on average, experienced the exhilaration of hitting a 425-foot home run and the frustration of striking out. I got a lot of joy and personal satisfaction from being part of a team and the game itself; but it’s the lessons I learned along the way that have served me throughout my life.
There’s a facetious saying in baseball when you mishit the ball or hit a blooper and get on base: “That’s a line drive in the record book.” The saying reinforces the idea that the box score doesn’t differentiate between a Texas Leaguer and a scorching line-drive.
The idea is that getting on base is, well… getting on base, no matter how inelegant it looks. This is especially true after time passes and memories fade. When you’re on base, you have the opportunity to round the bases and score. Progress is progress.
In life, we often just focus on and pursue the line drives and home runs, the big glamorous wins—those moments where everything goes exactly as planned. But the truth is, some of our progress comes from bloopers, mishaps or unplanned victories that don’t look pretty but still move us closer to our goals. And over time, as memories fade, those details won’t seem as important. What matters is that you made progress, and from there, you kept moving forward.
To Score, You’ve Gotta Be on Base
In Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, Bill Mazeroski, known more for his defense than his hitting, made one of the most famous plays in baseball history. But before his iconic walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth, he had a crucial at-bat earlier in the game that involved a less-than-perfect hit.
During that earlier at-bat, Mazeroski hit a blooper to right field. It wasn’t a hard-hit ball, but it dropped perfectly between the infielders and outfielders, allowing him to reach first base safely. Eventually, Mazeroski rounded the bases and scored a run, which contributed to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ comeback and set the stage for his later heroics.
While Mazeroski is best known for his home run, it’s important to note that it was a combination of small hits, like his blooper, that helped the Pirates win the game and the World Series.
Another Famous Blooper
One of the most famous bloop hits in baseball history came during another Game 7, this time in the 2001 World Series. The Arizona Diamondbacks faced the New York Yankees, and it was the bottom of the ninth inning. The game was tied, with two outs, bases loaded, and the pressure was sky-high.
Enter Luis Gonzalez, an all-star player for the Diamondbacks. As the Yankees’ legendary closer Mariano Rivera pitched, Gonzalez didn’t hit a powerful line drive or home run. Instead, he hit a soft single over the infield—a classic Texas Leaguer. The ball floated just beyond the reach of the infielders and landed softly in the outfield grass.
That bloop hit allowed the winning run to score, clinching the Diamondbacks’ first-ever World Series title. It wasn’t a majestic home run or a hard-hit ball, but it got the job done—and it’s remembered as one of the most iconic hits in World Series history.
Progress, however small or messy, is still progress. And that’s something worth celebrating.
Small Wins That Lead to Big Victories
It’s tempting to discount the small, ungraceful wins in our lives because they don’t fit the image we had in our heads. Maybe you didn’t land the dream job you envisioned, but the one you got still put food on the table and helped you build valuable experience. Or perhaps you didn’t ace that presentation at work, but you managed to keep your audience engaged and learned what you’ll do better next time.
The bloopers in life aren’t signs of failure—they’re signs of movement. As long as you’re moving forward, even if it’s not always in the way you imagined, you’re still getting closer to your goals. Just like in baseball, getting on base is what matters, because once you’re there, you’re in the game and have the opportunity to score.
The Pressure to “Swing for the Fences”
In our fast-paced, highlight-reel culture, it’s easy to feel like everything you do needs to be a picture-perfect Instagram reel. Social media floods us with examples of people hitting what looks like home runs, achieving success in seemingly impressive ways.
What you often don’t see are the countless hours and number of bloopers that came before those big moments—not only the hard work, but the small and sometimes awkward steps that didn’t look glamorous but contributed to getting them to where they are.
Consider the illustration to the right (or below if on mobile). How often are you finding it difficult to make progress toward your goal? It’s not that the goal is too lofty. This issue is about how you’re approaching it.
Instead of swinging for the fences and setting your sights on the major milestones, break it down and focus on the steps that will get you to the first milestone. Instead of struggling to reach the first rung of the ladder like the person on the right, take smaller steps like the person on the left. You’ll get started sooner and make progress faster than ever before.
Life isn’t just about Hitting Home Runs
Life is about showing up, standing in the box, blocking out distractions, keeping your eye on the ball, taking your swings and finding ways to get on base, even if that means running hard to beat the throw or an awkward roll into first.
Here’s the thing: Bloopers count! Those tiny victories that don’t look like much on the surface and don’t feel like much in the moment but keep you in the game, are just as important—if not more so—than the dazzling moments we all aspire to reach.
When you look back at your life years from now, you may remember all the moments you hit bloopers. However, others likely won’t. What matters is the work that led to progress and the things you accomplished—not how elegantly it all went down.
Celebrate the Bloopers
What can we take from all of this? It’s simple: don’t discount the bloopers.
Don’t discredit the small, awkward wins that help you inch forward, even if they don’t feel impressive at the time. Progress is progress, even when it’s incremental. Whether it’s a stinging liner or a lucky bounce that puts you on base, you’re in the game and moving toward your goals.
Here are a few ways to celebrate the bloopers in your life:
- Acknowledge small wins: Write down those seemingly insignificant victories—they count more than you think.
- Reframe failure: Every misstep is a step toward success. Treat it like a blooper that still gets you closer to what you want.
- Stay in the game: Even when things don’t go as planned, remember that you’re still in play. Being on base is all you need to keep moving.
I believe things happen for a reason and often only make sense when looking in the rearview mirror. Have faith and never doubt yourself.
Al Viller
Parting Thoughts
Whether you metaphorically hit a clean, powerful line drive or a broken-bat blooper, the scorebook in life doesn’t differentiate.
Progress is what moves us forward, even if it doesn’t look perfect. Perfectionism can hold us back, making us hesitate, second-guess, procrastinate or avoid taking action altogether. Instead, focus on the beauty of small steps and daily wins.
Do this instead: At the end of each day, write down one thing you did that made progress, no matter how small. Over time, you’ll see that these moments add up. Don’t wait for things to be flawless—just take the next step and let growth be your goal. Embrace progress, not perfection, and you’ll be amazed how much farther you can go.
Start today and celebrate every step forward, even the bloopers and scratch hits that keeps you in the game. Because when the game is over, it’s all a line drive in the scorebook.
Inspire on!