Instructor Resource
Neck, Self-Leadership, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
Case Notes
Chapter 5: Constructive Thought-Focused Strategies: Developing a Travel
Mind-Set
Gift Ngoepe: We Have Made History!
Learning Objectives
1. Recognize that we create our own unique psychological worlds by choosing what to think
about and how to think about it, and that our psychological worlds help to shape our behaviors.
2. Employ the concept of self-talk to identify and replace negative internal dialogues with more
positive ones.
Case Summary
Gift Ngoepe played baseball with the Pittsburg Pirates. He made history as the first African-born
baseball player in the U.S. Major Leagues. Ngoepe grew up in Randburg, near Johannesburg in
South Africa. While growing up, his mom encouraged him to never give up on his dream of
playing baseball. With her support and his dream, he developed the constructive thought-based
Case Analysis
Gift Ngoepe believed in his dream and used a positive mental approach to accomplish his dream.
He had many challenges. He was born in South Africa. He played in the minor leagues before
getting the opportunity to play in the Major Leagues. It may have been difficult to remain
positive during all those years. Ngoepe was the first African-born man to play in the Major
Leagues, which added pressure to perform well, both as a person of color and as a representative
Instructor Resource
Neck, Self-Leadership, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
of South Africa. Ngoepe utilized his ability to have positive thoughts, mental toughness, and the
ability to use positive thinking to shape his behavior.
Sample Answers to Case Questions
Question 1. In what ways did positive thinking help Ngoepe be successful in his life and career?
Sample Answer:
a. Ngoepe used constructive thought-focused strategies to help him approach the game in a
positive way instead of thinking about failures.
Question 2. Explain how Ngoepe used self-talk to be successful in his first at-bat in the majors.
Sample Answer:
a. Ngoepe started with controlling his breathing on the way to the plate while reminding himself
he could hit the ball.
Question 3. How do you think Ngoepe may have used the strategies of evaluating beliefs and
assumptions and mental practice during his rise to the major leagues?
Sample Answer:
a. Ngoepe was the first African-born baseball player in a National League game. He played nine
years in the minor leagues before getting his chance. During those nine years, he may have used
his belief that he would get to the Major Leagues.
Question 4. During the nine years in the minor leagues Ngoepe experienced many failures and
setbacks to his career. How was he able to overcome these failures and realize his dream of
playing major league baseball?
Sample Answer:
a. Ngoepe used his positive mental approach to help him overcome any perceived failure and
used the opportunity to continue to learn from his failures.
Instructor Resource
Neck, Self-Leadership, 2e