Paul Goldschmidt believes that a majority of his success at the Major League level can be attributed to his mental approach.
"A super high percentage," Goldschmidt says. "I don't know if you're saying 95 percent, 75 percent, but it's up there. Because I know physically I was talented, I was good at a young age, so there's definitely that part of it. But to get the big leagues and have success … how you improve is by the mental side."
Goldschmidt was an eighth-round pick in 2009 and wasn't a highly-regarded prospect.
When Goldschmidt got to the Arizona Diamondbacks in August of 2011, he met Peter Crone, a mind and performance coach. Crone has worked with the club since 2009 and when he and Goldschmidt met, they immediately hit it off.
"He helps you take a lot of stress and worry out of things," Goldschmidt said. "Whether it's a fear of failure or really any type of fear, we all have fears or think too much about the future or the past and let that affect us. He just tries to put you in a state of mind where you're focused, but relaxed. It helps you get the distractions out of your head whether it's a fear of failure or worrying about results."