Spring Training

I don’t watch much baseball these days, but there’s something about spring training that still stirs a little excitement and nostalgia in me. It’s a sign of spring. A sign of warmer days ahead. And a reminder of all those carefree afternoons on the field with my friends and, even better, in the backyard with my dad.

I used to think spring training was just about getting back into shape after a long winter off. Now I see it differently.

Professional athletes don’t stop training once they make it to the big leagues. If anything, they double down. They train harder. Study more. Fine-tune every part of their game to keep their edge. To stay sharp. To stay in it.

At least the great ones do.

I’ve been doing stonework for a long time. Long enough to call myself a pro—even if some might argue that point, especially after watching me try to back a trailer down a long, tight driveway. But that doesn't mean I get to stop training. If anything, it means I need to train harder because I'm more aware of all the areas where I could keep improving.

I didn’t take the winter off. I don’t need to “get back in shape.” But that doesn’t mean I get to coast. There’s so much room to grow. Not just in the craft itself, but in all the supporting skills that hold the work together: planning, logistics, communication, efficiency. The quieter disciplines. The stuff that doesn’t always make the highlight reel, but matters just as much.

Spring is a good time to remember that. A nudge to recommit. To show up with a little more focus. A little more discipline.

I never want to feel like I’ve fully arrived. Like I can skip the workout. Like the training’s over.