“The best player on the planet” is simply a title that disparages his presence. Shohei Ohtani is an acclaimed Japanese baseball player, currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball (MLB). One might say he is the greatest title collector in the history of baseball; he has won multiple MVP awards, earned several All-Star selections, and achieved the rare feat of combining elite pitching with over 50 home runs and more than 25 stolen bases in a single season. Considering that the average MLB player hits around 16 home runs and steals between five and ten bases, Ohtani’s statistics are beyond comprehension.
Today, he holds the title of the highest paid player in MLB history.
When we ask what makes a player “great,” there can be many interpretations. But one fact remains constant: greatness comes from being truly unparalleled. “Dominance” is his middle name. Ohtani is not merely a great hitter, he’s also one of the best pitchers in the league. The fact that he excels at both simultaneously is what makes him The Phenomenon.
Since the age of eleven, Ohtani has pursued a clear path toward becoming the best pitcher and hitter in Japan. What made him special wasn’t magic or natural-born talent. Ever since his determination to strive for the best, he has gone through rigorous phases of training, sometimes practicing more than eight hours a day. His success isn’t the result of innate athleticism, but of an unwavering mindset that gives meaning to his discipline.
One specific method he used, and one that can apply to anyone, even students, is called Mandalart. It is a Japanese goal-setting technique that helps visualize progress through structured steps. You place your ultimate goal in the center of a grid, surround it with eight related goals, and then branch each of those into eight smaller, concrete actions. It is a powerful system that breaks big dreams into achievable steps, showing how focus and planning can turn ambition into reality.
What it takes to be the best is no special thing. For one aspires for something, necessary actions need to be completed, whether they are pleasing or not. Consistency is what made him ‘great’. 8 hours of practice can be daunting, but imagine doing it incessantly from elementary school till now. Ohtani had planned out everything, even future plans, from the age of 19 to 40. Each year was responsible for a goal. Some of them are underachieved as well. For instance, Ohtani aspired to throw the ball at a speed of 175km / hour at the age of 25. Although some goals were short-lived, Ohtani epitomizes the act of looking up to something and bettering oneself over and over again. Ohtani continues to break boundaries, redefining what it means to be an athlete. His story reminds us that true greatness doesn’t come from talent alone, but from the quiet, consistent work behind it.
Image: CNN
