The new tennis rackets are lighter, stronger, and have a bigger Sweet Spot. The pitcher grooved a fastball right into the Sweet Spot of the DH, resulting in a massive grand slam! In the sports world it is not uncommon to hear an athlete or coach speak of this magical space that allows an athlete to perform successfully. Major League Baseball even includes it in their glossary of terms: “Colloquially, a player who hits the ball solidly is said to have gotten the ‘Sweet Spot” of the bat on the ball. The Sweet Spot classification quantifies that as a batted-ball event with a launch angle ranging from 8 to 32 degrees.” And if you are an educated baseball fan, no surprise, there is a “stat for that” labeled SwSp%. Baseball and their stats!

If you desire for an in-depth understanding of the Sweet Spot in baseball, you might rely on the research of Penn State’s Dr. Daniel Russell and his conclusion, “There are locations on the barrel which result in maximum performance and there are locations which result in minimal discomfort in the hands…Hopefully this summary will enhance the understanding of what the Sweet Spot is and what it is not, as well as encouraging further research into the quest for the ‘perfect bat.” Personally, my preference would be to ask someone I know to explain this phenomenon, such as Luis Ortiz, because I have been an on-the-field eyewitness to what happens when a talented player locates the Sweet Spot of the bat and how quickly that little white orb disappears across the outfield wall when this occurs.

However, today, I want to steer this dialogue in a slightly different direction than my day-to-day sports life because it is a topic that arises just as frequently in conversations with others, especially those presently in the Liminal Space of Emerging Adulthood and navigating the What’s Next? phase of life. In her book Kingdom Calling, Amy Sherman shares a distinctive Sweet Spot in her book on vocational stewardship. Sharing a similar perspective as Bryan Dik in Redeeming Work, Sherman encourages readers to think differently about what the term work means, “Work is not a result of humankind’s fall into sin. Work is central in Genesis 1 and 2. There it is—right in the midst of paradise, right in the picture of God’s intentions for how things ought to be. Work is a gift from God. Work is something we were built for, something our loving Creator intends for our good…It has intrinsic value…Vocational stewardship starts with celebrating the work itself and recognizing that God cares about it and is accomplishing his purposes through it.”

So, I offer that for those of us who might be struggling to find our vocational Sweet Spot, we recognize that God has created us for a specific purpose and multiple vocations. I call this Sweet Spot anavah or our God-Given Space. Sherman adds, “He puts in us the capacity to find deep joy and purpose by serving him through work that draws on our unique, God-given combination of natural and spiritual gifts. We serve him as we serve others through our work, because he has called us to be his hands and feet in the midst of our beautiful but broken planet…Frederick Buechner says in his pithy definition of vocation, ‘the place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet’.” I find it vital that we view locating the Sweet Spot a journey that takes time and will look different for different people. Just the other day I shared that my journey began as a high school teacher, then intramural director, SID, and then professor. It evolved over time, but along the way, there were amazing opportunities to gather essential skills that crafted the professional resume that exists today.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I request that all of my students review a Life Calling presentation; however, I didn’t know, before now, that I was asking them to complete the Sweet Spot Exercise, but that’s what they do. Now, I have a diagram to show them as well! But I want to encourage all of us to consider that while we are addressing concepts in all three circles: God’s Priorities, The World’s Needs, and My Passions and Gifts, we are also accumulating the skills and experiences that will lead us to the Sweet Spot. It likely won’t happen with that initial employment after college or graduate school, or it may evolve in ways we never imagined. And I do, as Sherman counsels, want to be cautious about how I encourage locating this Sweet Spot, and suggest “that people to the greatest extent possible seek that Sweet Spot. Such language is imperative because not every [person] can in fact work in their vocational Sweet Spot, and some who are able to do so may be able only for limited seasons in life.” But I think we should at least strive for the Sweet Spot or anavah if we truly desire to Flourish at Life!

As you have journeyed through this life, what helped you to find the Sweet Spot of your career? Would you consider sharing your experiences in the comments below so that others might benefit?

References:

Cambridge University Press & Assessment (2023). Definition for sweet spot. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/sweet-spot

Dik, B.J. (2020). Redeeming work: A guide to discovering God’s calling for your career. Templeton Press.

Hoashi, L. (2017). The sweet spot exercise: Get ideas for the next great move in your career. [Blog post]. Lisa Hoashi. Retrieved from https://www.lisahoashi.com/blog/sweet-spot-exercise

MLB Advanced Media, LP. (2023). Sweet spot definition. Retrieved from https://www.mlb.com/glossary/statcast/sweet-spot

Ortiz, L. (2005). The Natural Hitter’s Handbook. Coaches Choice.

Russell, D.A. (2008, March 27). The sweet spot of a hollow baseball or softball bat. Retrieved from https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/sweetspot.html

Sherman, A.L. (2011). Kingdom calling: Vocational stewardship for the common good. IVP Books. (UU BV 4593.S54)