Mike Turowski

[Dan Cevette @DanCevette]

Hard is coming.

In baseball. In school. In your career. In relationships. In life.

You don’t get to choose whether hard eventually finds you.

But you DO get to choose who you are when it arrives.

Confidence helps you through hard. I believe that.

So does preparation.
So does discipline.
So does having people in your corner.
So does faith.
So does doing difficult things when life is still comfortable.

Because when adversity finally shows up, you rarely rise to some magical new level.

You fall back on what you’ve built.

The bullpen when nobody was watching.
The extra reps.
The early mornings.
The failures you refused to run from.
The promises you kept to yourself.

Don’t spend your life hoping things get easier.

Build yourself into someone who can handle when they don’t.

Hard is coming.

Build your floor. Chase your ceiling. 🔨⚾️

[Mike Turowski @mturowskiwi]

@pjonesbaseball this is a great post, not just baseball related. This is very much about life as well. We all choose what to do, how to respond and what we will do next.

[Patrick Jones @pjonesbaseball]

To improve your mental game, you first have to understand how the brain actually works.

Here’s the key thing to know:

Your brain’s job is not to help you perform.

Its job is to protect you.

It’s trying to keep you safe — not help you hit.

Because of that, the brain wants to avoid:

Embarrassment
Failure
Pain
Discomfort

So when pressure shows up, your brain can interpret it as a threat instead of an opportunity.

That’s why pressure feels uncomfortable.

It’s not weakness.
It’s not you doing something wrong.
It’s your brain doing its job.

Why Big Moments Feel Hard
In big moments, you might:

Overthink
Feel tense
Doubt yourself
Feel nervous

That doesn’t mean something is wrong.

It means you’re human.

Your brain is reacting to perceived danger, not understanding that you’re stepping into a competitive opportunity.

You Can’t Control Your First Thought

One of the most important mental skills is understanding this:

Your first thought is automatic.
Your second thought is a choice.
Example:
After a strikeout, your first thought might be:

“I suck.”
“Here we go again.”
That’s an automatic reaction.

The next thought — the one you choose — is what matters.

That’s the conscious response.

Thoughts Are Constant — and Often Negative

Research shows:

You have 40,000–80,000 thoughts per day

70–80% are the same thoughts as yesterday

Up to 80% may be negative
Most of these thoughts run in the background.
They are repeated patterns — not necessarily truth.

This is why some people appear consistently positive and others consistently negative: they’ve built different thought patterns.

Elite players learn to observe thoughts instead of attaching to them.

Think of thoughts like clouds passing in the sky.

You notice them.

You don’t chase them.
You don’t give them extra energy.
You let them pass.

Common Automatic Negative Thoughts

Most players experience thoughts like:

“I suck.”
“I always mess up in big moments.”
“I don’t feel right today.”
“Coach is mad at me.”
These are called automatic negative thoughts.

They often come from:

pressure
fear
past experiences
coaching criticism
previous failures
They can appear without warning.

Why Your Brain Repeats Thoughts

Your brain repeats thoughts to save energy.

It prefers patterns and familiarity.

It is not focused on optimal performance.
It is focused on efficiency and protection.

That’s how patterns form over time.

The Good News: Patterns Can Be Changed

If you don’t like your thought patterns, you can change them.

The first step is awareness.
Notice what thoughts keep showing up.

Recognize them.

Then choose how you respond.

The brain’s job is protection, not performance.

Pressure feels uncomfortable because the brain senses threat.

Nervousness is normal — not weakness.

Your first thought is automatic; your second thought is a choice.

Thoughts repeat and are often negative.
Thoughts are not facts — they are patterns.
Awareness allows you to change those patterns.

Start building awareness:

✅ Notice your automatic thoughts after mistakes
✅ Don’t judge the first thought — choose the next one
✅ Observe thoughts without attaching to them
✅ Recognize recurring negative patterns
✅ Replace reaction with intentional response

Final Thought

You don’t control every thought.
But you control what you do next.
And that choice is where performance begins...

[Mike Turowski @mturowskiwi]

Great weekend for E.T. @EthynTurowski

[Ethyn Turowski @EthynTurowski]

Last tournament of the season. We ended up losing 4 to 6 in the championship. I caught 4 of the 5 games and I threw 5 of 6 runners out at second. I also had 2 successful back picks to 1st while having 0 passed balls.
PA: 15
BA: .727
4-1B
4-2B
1-BB
3-HBP
1-SO

[Mike Turowski @mturowskiwi]

Not just about showcasing to teammates but opposing players, coaches, fans and umpires. You never know who is watching and where future paths may cross.

[Next Level Baseball @nextlevelbb]

Players
Every time you play you have an opportunity to showcase yourself to your teammates to earn their respect and trust.

[Perfect Game Iowa @IowaPG]

Ethyn Turowski (‘29, WI) added a base knock here, working from a spread base. Stays connected well & throws the barrel here to pick up a single. Lean frame w/ some traits to like. @PG_WiscMinn #BattleForTheMW

[Mike Turowski @mturowskiwi]

@CoachBeede Great messaging as always.

[Coach Beede @CoachBeede]

Navigating Roster Limits, Transfer Portal & the New 5-in-5 Rule in 2026 https://t.co/6Ste1g3ViO

[Milwaukee Baseball @MKE_Baseball]

Don't Underestimate Us.

#ForTheMKE | #HLBASE | #MKEBaseball

[Milwaukee Baseball @MKE_Baseball]

End 8th | Milwaukee 12, Auburn 7
@rileypeterson33 gets us through the 8th, we head to the 9th!

#ForTheMKE | #HLBASE | #MKEBaseball | #RoadToOmaha

[Grafton HS Baseball @RESP3CTtheGAME]

Congratulations to players, coaches, and supporters of the @GraftonHIHawks baseball program! 2026 conference champs #blackhawkpride

[Coach Beede @CoachBeede]

Tournament weekends are here. Before you load the car, three things are worth saying to your son in the driveway:

I love watching you play, no matter the result.
The coaches are watching how you compete, not your stat line. Most of all have fun.

The student-athletes who play loose this weekend will outperform the ones who play tight. Every time.

[Grafton HS Baseball @RESP3CTtheGAME]

Please join the Black Hawks’ celebration of our seniors! #blackhawkpride

[Mike Turowski @mturowskiwi]

@CoachBeede Everything is changing so dramatically and has changed over the last 4 years. And will change over the next two best to stay focused on what we can control.

[Mike Turowski @mturowskiwi]

@CoachBeede Follow @CoachBeede.
I am constantly sharing his videos to my friends to help with their kids and their decisions. I also share a lot with our son(2029). Our focus is strength/conditioning and playing time and reps. We will worry about showcases between junior and senior year.

[Grafton HS Baseball @RESP3CTtheGAME]

Please stop by today! We appreciate your support @Grafton_GABC @GraftonHIHawks

[Grafton HS Baseball @RESP3CTtheGAME]

What a game! The Black Hawks beat Bay 4-1 in 11 innings. Schmanski drove in Plier to tie the game in the 7th. With 2 outs in the 11th, N Schiller drove in 2. Turowski followed with his 1st hit & RBI. R Butts threw 9 innings and Cameranesi picked up the W in 2 relief innings.

[Salvatore Bando Jr @Salvatoresixer]

An Open Letter to the WIAA regarding my resignation

[Jerry Weinstein @JWonCATCHING]

LEADERS IN GENERAL

[Grafton HS Baseball @RESP3CTtheGAME]

Grafton Baseball players and fans: order your team apparel this week! Happy shopping https://t.co/G76iFiSJk3

[Mike Turowski @mturowskiwi]

@SamCameranesi @PrepBaseballWI @coachwallerich @CoachMaus10 @RESP3CTtheGAME @BiglerSports Congratulations Sam!