Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, left, smiles with teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after a win against the Athletics at the start of their season.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
The law of attraction suggests that whether you think positively or negatively, you’ll bring that type of energy into your life. With the introduction of a pre-game gratitude circle, the Toronto Blue Jays are hoping that holds true for the rest of the baseball season. And their new ritual might just work for you, too.
Since their recent games against the Angels, the Jays have been huddling in the dugout – teammates and staff – before each matchup to share something they’re grateful for. It started as a way to help new player Kazuma Okamoto bond with the team, but has grown into something bigger, a way for the entire group to step on the field on the same positive wavelength.
“If we focus on what we’re grateful for and the good things in our life, we’re going to start to see those things out in the environment,” said Rebekah Dixon, a high performance mental trainer for athletes. “Positive energy attracts positive energy.”
That strategy worked during the series with the Angels, with the Jays winning two of the three games.
Though we often think getting “amped” or “hyped up” is the best way for an athlete to get ready to perform, Dana Sinclair, a performance psychologist who works with professional athletes, says calming down, as the Jays do during their gratitude circle, is actually a stronger strategy.
“It’s overwhelmingly necessary to control your tension if you want to perform your best,” said Dr. Sinclair. “If there’s too much intensity you’re going to be too tight. You won’t be able to move properly. Your timing will be off. Your heart rate will be too high. You’ve got to be able to bring the tension down.”
A 2024 study of 483 Chinese athletes from national and professional sports teams found that focusing on things they’re grateful for can help athletes stay more engaged, perform better, increase their resilience, and help them experience less symptoms of burnout. The latter is especially important for the Jays who play 162 games in a regular season.
Those findings can apply to the rest of us too, whether our ongoing battle is against the miles we have to run for marathon training or the nine-to-five clock at work. A gratitude practice can be as simple as grabbing a notebook and writing down a few things you feel grateful for before you start your day. You can also add one or two things you’re grateful for that haven’t happened yet, as a way to remind yourself of what you’re building toward.
“When we acknowledge our small wins on a daily basis, it keeps our motivation going to get through the hard times,” said Dixon.
Okamoto’s teammates began their gratitude circle as a means of welcoming in newcomer Kazuma Okamoto.Kevin Sousa/Reuters
Before any big performance, Dr. Sinclair has her clients write a facts list. “It’s evidence,” she said. Jot down what you have accomplished, what positive things people have said about you, what you’re happy with. “It’s a great way to calm down and focus on, ‘Hey, I can do this.’”
Making this a daily ritual can also provide a sense of control when the outcome of the rest of the day often feels uncontrollable. That in turn can also help you manage your nerves.
You might even want to write a few more notes at the end of the day, if that helps you remind yourself of what matters.
“It’s celebrating the small wins,” said Dixon. “When we acknowledge those small wins on a daily, weekly basis, it keeps our motivation going to get through the hard times.”
