Some people gain a little knowledge and believe they understand everything.

Others, however, come to realize that the more they learn,

the more they don’t know.

Which mindset leads to greater growth is obvious.

In his first year in Major League Baseball, Shohei Ohtani won the Rookie of the Year award, recording four wins as a pitcher and hitting 22 home runs as a batter.

It proved that the skills he developed in Japan could translate to the highest level.

And yet, Ohtani himself reflected on that season by saying:

“The more I overcome things I couldn’t do,

the more I start to see what I’m still lacking next.”

One of the biggest influences behind that realization was his Angels teammate, Mike Trout—a three-time MVP.

What impressed Ohtani most was Trout’s approach at the plate.

Although Trout has an incredibly wide hitting range,

he does not try to expand it beyond what is necessary.

Even when pitchers are willing to walk him—throwing pitches with the mindset of “a walk is fine”—

Trout does not force swings.

He takes his walks, maintains a batting average above .300,

and continues to produce at an elite level.

As a result, his on-base percentage remains high,

his batting average stays strong,

and he consistently delivers extra-base hits.

This leads to an OPS (on-base plus slugging) that exceeds 1.000—

a benchmark that Ohtani himself strives for.

Ohtani says he learned many things during his rookie season.

But perhaps more importantly, he realized something else:

there is no finish line.

And that endless pursuit of improvement

is exactly what keeps him so deeply absorbed in the game of baseball.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Number 963, p.18