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O B S E R V A T I O N S : Is perfection achievable? If so, how so ? If not, why not?
Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser finished the 1988 baseball season with a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings, 23 wins and an ERA of 2.26. He executed one of the all-time great seasons that year. Hershiser would start each game with the goal of achieving total control: winning by pitching a perfect game. If a batter got a hit, Hershiser gave up on total control and set a new goal to pitch a one–hitter. If another batter got on base, he revised his goal again, always keeping in mind that winning the game was the ultimate objective. Rather than a compromise or a rationalization, surrendered control allowed Hershiser to focus his efforts on achieving the best possible outcome: a win for himself and his team. He realized there is always more than one way to win, and a win may come in unexpected forms.
Ultimately, expecting to have total control means that complete success is always just out of reach — there’s no such thing as perfect. But with enough effort, energy and discipline, we can achieve anything. And by surrendering the concept of total control, we can enjoy surprising — and sometimes superior — results.