Bryce Harper the 6 foot 3 inches tall phenom that plays outfielder for the Washington Nationals has been heralded since he was a teenage prospect. In 2009, Sports Illustrated featured Harper on its cover as the “Chosen One” comparing him to NBA Star Lebron James. While Harper can't legally drink and does offer the occasional sound bite, the 19-year old star is better known for what has done in the MLB. His rookie year Harper became the youngest All-Star in baseball history and his story is something entrepreneurs can learn from.
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Here are 3/4 ideas for the Nationals star that wears number “34”:
“Just don't let that go to your head. “Keep working, cause those guys [Ken Griffey Jr and Alex Rodriguez] made it , you ain't yet.” – Ron Harper, Bryce's father, when Bryce was asked a question about his similarities to Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez
“I hope so. I'm just going to go into camp, work as hard as I can, like I did last year. Just try to prove to everybody that I can play in the big leagues, and if I have to deal with adversity a little bit, I'm going to deal with it.” – Bryce Harper when asked if he was ready for the Major Leagues
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- Work Hard: Entrepreneurs have to understand the hard work and dedication pay off overtime. While the long hours in the office may not pay dividends initially, the seeds that are planted will pay off over time. Long before he was selected for the Washington Nationals and played in his first All-Star Game, Bryce Harper had a rigorous schedule. He worked hard at his craft and knew how much work it would take to reach his goal of being the “Best of All Time.”
- Follow Your Goals/Dreams: Often entrepreneurs can allow outside influences to affect their belief in following their dreams and setting goals. Bryce Harper heard his fair share of critics and doubters when he dropped out after his sophomore year at Las Vegas High School and earned his General Education Degree (GED). Thereafter, the eventual #1 overall pick, enrolled in the College of Southern Nevada. This decision made him eligible for the June 2010 amateur draft to begin his professional baseball career. Rather than listen to the critics and maintain a negative outlook, Harper believed in himself and knew what his goal was and he followed it.
Anybody can pull the ball nine miles to right. I wanted to be able to hit the ball the same way to left that I do to right. All my home runs that you see are usually left-center to center. If you can hit the ball that way you're going to hit .300, if you're not, you're going to hit .260. – Bryce Harper
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- Know Your Craft: Entrepreneurs should be an expert at their craft. It's important for entrepreneurs and business owners to stay on top of their industry and their market. Through reading books and taking courses, entrepreneurs become experts in their field. Harper works hard to not just be good, but to be legendary.
- Discipline: Entrepreneurs should always appreciate the discipline and focus of athletes. Harper played over 100 games a year as a teenager and as his mom said after a weekend of playing 10 games he would still end up going to the batting cages when he came home.