This article is not your typical form of physical baseball instruction.  You will find nothing about the mechanics of your game.  Nothing to help your baseball swing move on to the next level.  Instead, I want to give you something just as valuable.  The intentional effort of developing your athletic brand will play a huge role in your success as an athlete. 

To begin with, let’s explore what you think of when I mention the word, “brand”, as it relates to athletic gear.  Did Nike pop into your head by chance?  If it didn’t, I’d bet that it would have been your first three thoughts on the topic of athletic brands.  Nike has done a great job over the decades making certain you think of their brand when you think of athletic wear, equipment, etc.  In the baseball world, the image you choose to shape can play a large role in how others (decision makers) see you.  If you leave the brand building job to chance, it will never be as effective helping you stand out in a crowd as you would like.  I’ve outlined a few strategies below to help you begin building your brand as an athlete. 

Create a strategy

1. Take out a sheet of paper and create a list of two to three things you see most Major League Baseball players doing that most athletes your age don’t do consistently.  Some suggestions to jumpstart your thinking could be time spent on habit creation and consultation with a coach or mentor on a specific skill.  In college, I chose to focus quite a bit of energy on understanding the art of hitting a baseball effectively.  That became my brand.   

2. Once you have made a list, make a firm commitment to work on your list weekly.  Your commitments should always be written down and shared with two or three people in your baseball life in order that they hold you accountable.  Keep the list in a location where you will see it on a daily basis.  In your binder, on the bathroom wall, it really doesn’t matter as long as you see it frequently. 

3. Most talented athletes fail to develop a strong brand because they choose to be inconsistent in their work habit.  Developing a strong brand takes a lot of work!  But, so does playing college baseball and above.  Therefore, if you can develop a strong and consistent work habit during your baseball drills and practice time, you will pass many athletes who simply choose not to spend the time and effort.  In the end you know you have done a great job in building a positive brand when your name is whispered frequently throughout the stands when you step up to bat or hop onto the mound to pitch.