This episode of Hardball Society is all about the mental side of baseball and sports. Justin Musil and Phil Mackey sit down with Justin Anderson from Premier Sports Psychology -- one of the top peak mental performance coaches in the country. Justin works with pro, college and Olympic athletes -- and other top performers -- to help them reach their peak potential, and in this episode he explains the complicated wiring inside baseball players minds. What you'll hear on this episode: - Why more and more baseball players and other athletes are turning to sports psychologists - Aside from physical skills, what are the mental qualities that separate superior athletes from guys who don't rise to the top of their capabilities? - What is the zone, and how do baseball players reach it? - To what degree is a younger players success predictable based on mental patterns? Can sports psychologists hone in on how likely a player is to fail or succeed? - What are the core characteristics players need to be the best of the best? - How can we explain the yips or mental glitches with players? For instance, Jon Lester seems to have an inability throwing the ball to first base. Why is that? - Fear of success vs. fear of failure Quotable: "The guys that are really more secure with themselves are saying, 'How can I be better? How can I improve?'" "A lot of athletes get caught up in distractions. And those distractions can be anything from internal some self-talk or external. Those who can really hone in, in the middle of all of that, and stay on their task -- Under pressure, on demand and through fatigue are superior." Where to find Justin Anderson: Website: https://www.premiersportpsychology.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/premsport_psych