Long before Shohei Ohtani was a global baseball superstar, he played on the Hanamaki Higashi High School baseball team in Japan when disaster struck the country. The Great East Japan Earthquake left more than 22,000 people dead or missing.
An article in The Japan Times chronicled Ohtani’s experience during the disaster. The magnitude 9.0 earthquake caused a massive Tsunami that destroyed various Japanese coastal towns. Ohtani’s high school was a two-hour drive from the ravaged coast, and when the quake struck, the team’s dorm lost power and cracks appeared in the school building.
After evacuating, Ohtani was able to reach his family by phone. Many of his teammates, whose families lost their homes, were not. In the story, Ohtani said, “At the time, I honestly didn’t know what to say to them. They couldn’t get in touch with their families, and I just didn’t know how to comfort them.”
After the disaster, every player on the team stayed, and the team advanced to the national high school baseball championship. Living together in the dorms strengthened the players’ bonds that they’ve felt for the rest of their lives. Ohtani stated, “They became more than just baseball teammates — they’re still some of my most special memories.”
Ohtani has credited the disaster with changing his focus to be more on others than on himself.
From The Japan Times: As his career took him from Iwate to professional baseball in Japan and then to MLB, he carried that perspective with him. Though success has taken him far from northeastern Japan, those who follow him often remark not only of his talent, but also of his steadiness — a composure shaped by those early experiences and a focus on team over self.
So, how has this all helped him to boost performance and become a better baseball player? There are various ways that putting we before me can help. Here are four:
- Thinking of We Instead of Me Reduces Stress: Shifting your focus from worrying about what people think about your performance to how you can help the team reduces pressure and creates a more relaxed performance.
- Helping Others Boosts Creative Solutions: A research project by professors Evan Polman and Kyle Emich found that people are more creative when helping to find solutions to help others than when doing it to help themselves. Better problem solvers are better performers.
- Increased Connection Improves Performance: Creating stronger connections with your teammates and coaches facilitates better communication, rapport, and cooperation, enhancing group performance.
- Encourages Better Teamwork: Focusing on the team’s needs rather than your own ego leads to better chemistry and more wins – and an athlete’s career is ultimately judged by their ability to help their team win!
