Years after his retirement, Hall of Fame baseball player Ty Cobb attended an Old Timers’ Day celebration at Yankee Stadium.

A reporter approached Cobb and asked him, “If you were playing in the modern era, what do you suppose your batting average would be?”

Cobb replied, “About .300.”

“Only .300?” said the startled reporter. “You have the highest batting average in major-league history, .367. Do you honestly think that if you played today, you would hit only .300?”

“Well,” Cobb said. “You’ve got to remember that I’m 70 years old.”

That quote sums up Cobb and a select few other athletes. Even years after leaving the game, Cobb never lost his passion for it. He burned. It’s a lesson for all — great achievement begins with passion.

“When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and see you burn,” said 18th-century evangelist John Wesley.

“Anyone can dabble,” said comedian Bill Cosby. “But once you’ve made that commitment, your blood has that particular thing in it, and it’s very hard for people to stop you.”

It’s a great life lesson. Passion can take you much farther than you would ever get without it. Passion is how people win.

Will you be committed or a dabbler today?

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Total Game Plan offers Winner’s Workshops for schools, sports teams and businesses. The emphasis is on motivation, skill-building and teamwork. To bring a Winner’s Workshop to your group, just email coachtully@totalgameplan.com or call (973) 800-5836. To order a copy of “Ten Things Great Coaches Know,” click here.