On Saturday night we headed down to the Rockies game. It was a great evening as the sun went down and the stadium cooled off. I watched the game and the thousands in the crowd as I cracked open peanut shells fighting for the treasure inside.

The Rockies were up by a few runs and the pitcher for the Dodgers had hit a few of the batters. The catcher and 3rd baseman came to meet him on the mound.

Meanwhile, the stadium started seeing “nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah – hey, hey, hey goodbye!”

As the crowd caught on to the chant it grew louder and louder and the pitcher was finally replaced. Participating in this past time for a moment, I put myself in the place of this professional Major League Baseball pitcher.

Could you imagine EVER having to deal with something like this during your entire life? How scarred would you be hearing thousands upon thousands of people telling you to go home. While, it’s a part of the sport and the crowd energy – it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t or couldn’t affect the player.

It got me to thinking, is my skin thick enough? Could I withstand thousands of people chanting at me to go home and yet still get up again tomorrow and have the courage to do it all over again? There are days when a client criticism, even if constructive, can send me into a spiral of self-doubt.

This incident just made me realize how easy I have it compared to some of big athletes and others in the public eye. Regardless, to achieve your dreams you need more than thick skin, you need the courage to pick yourself back up and start all over again.