Interview with MLB Player Jay Jackson


Jay Jackson, beyond playing in the MLB, is an author, keynote speaker, and founder of the S.M.I.L.E. Zone. I recently had the opportunity of interviewing him (via dm) after connecting on LinkedIn. Of course, I got his permission before posting it...


This is what I asked him (sure you could already tell by my screenshot):
"How much did you practice before and during your time in the MLB? 
What are some habits that set you apart?
How do you concentrate/what do you think about when you are up to bat?
What do you think about there being so many MLB games every season?"

Before I tell you his reply, I wanna say that he was one of the nicest guys I have connected with (I had a feeling he would be when I saw the SMILE Zone bit). He was genuinely human about the conversation. He even opened his reply with this, 

"Sorry I’m just getting back to this. I went on a little vacation with the family last week and my son caught a little cold." 

Actually, it seems like most guys I have connected with on LinkedIn have taken longer to get back to me, and I told him that.

He continues with his answers to my questions:

"1. Before getting to the MLB i would practice all the time in college. Especially when I became just a full time baseball player. There were some nights my teammates and friends would be out or doing stuff and I would go to the baseball field and hit off the tee or just go visualize what I wanted to do next. 
I did it just as much during my time in the minors and majors. I would always try and find time or ways to work on my mechanics or figure a way to try and get extra work in. 
2. I think some habits that set me apart was always trying to do what I could to help contribute to the team. I tried to always be a positive influence and let guys know how good they can be. I always tried to smile.
3. I only got to bat a few times in the minors and majors but my only thought was to try and make contact. During college and when I used to hit more often then my concentration would be on first knowing the count and then knowing what I wanted to accomplish at the plate. After that it was just trusting my work and the swing.
4. I think having so many games during the season is a great thing because it sets MLB apart from other sports. I also don’t like the season being so long because of the injury risks and how teams use it to switch guys out to lower their pay."

If you like short, insightful interviews, make sure to read my other ones as well!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interview with Emmy® Winner Daniel Chi

Image
Last month I got to interview (via LinkedIn dm) Daniel Chi, a former ESPN media production associate and Warner Bros project manager who won multiple Emmy's. After getting his permission to post the q&a, I opened the conversation by asking this: "When did you first become interested in project management and is winning the Emmy award something you always dreamed of?" His response:  "...Part 1 - I first became interested in PM in in late 2018. I never went to school for Project Management, but I realized that I was doing it everyday at my current job and just didn't have the official title. One of my best friends got a job at NBCSports as a PM, and he knew I was looking for new opportunities and basically recruited me. He got me super interested and that's when I started to focus more on PM work and shaping myself to make that transition. "Part 2 - Winning an Emmy award was definitely not something I dreamed off, but it is most definitely ...
Read more

Interview with Grammy Winner Doc Wiley Part 2

Image
Part 2. The q&a continues... This is what I asked Doc next: "How much work did it take you to get to your level of music (eg, how much time practiced a day)?  What are some daily habits that set you apart? What is the first instrument you have ever played and is bass the one you picked because you enjoyed it or because you were good at it? What are some crazy experiences you have had as a musician/producer? How many artists have you collabed with? What is your favorite part of making music (eg, lyrics, bass, audio engineering, producing)?" This is what he told me in a great, indepth reply: "Ben, these are great questions. I’ll answer them as honestly as I can. "How much work did it take to get to my level of music?
A lot. More than I can probably measure. There were seasons where I practiced for hours every day, and there were also seasons where the “practice” looked like rehearsals, recording sessions, writing, listening, studying arrang...
Read more