"I've been taking batting practice in my barn where nobody can see me, so I may be better than anyone thinks"
About this Quote
Batting practice is an especially clever choice of metaphor because it’s the opposite of effortless talent. Hitting is repetition, timing, failure, and then more repetition. By choosing something so transparently unglamorous, Brooks signals, I’m not asking you to believe in magic. I’m asking you to believe in work. The subtext is a gentle critique of how we measure competence now: we trust what’s visible, what’s posted, what’s validated in public. He’s staking out an older, almost stubbornly private idea of improvement.
It also plays like a fan-service tease. “I may be better than anyone thinks” plants anticipation without making a promise he can’t cash. For a musician whose brand has always leaned into sincerity and big gestures, the line doubles as reassurance: fame hasn’t made him precious. He’s still out there, in a barn, taking swings at being more than his reputation.
Quote Details
| Topic | Training & Practice |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Brooks, Garth. (2026, January 15). I've been taking batting practice in my barn where nobody can see me, so I may be better than anyone thinks. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-been-taking-batting-practice-in-my-barn-where-146293/
Chicago Style
Brooks, Garth. "I've been taking batting practice in my barn where nobody can see me, so I may be better than anyone thinks." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-been-taking-batting-practice-in-my-barn-where-146293/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I've been taking batting practice in my barn where nobody can see me, so I may be better than anyone thinks." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-been-taking-batting-practice-in-my-barn-where-146293/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.

