Building and Maintaining Confidence
As an athlete, confidence is a crucial element in achieving success. Many times, it is this one particular component that separates successful athletes from those who struggle. Top athletes know that confidence is best placed on things that you can control: preparation, effort, focus, actions, decisions, and mindset. They also know that it is not something you can just acquire and always possess; rather, you have to work consistently to maintain it. The best way to maintain a high level of confidence is to ensure that you are feeding it each day from one of the following four sources:
How you talk to yourself
The first step in building confidence as an athlete is to be mindful of the way you talk to yourself. Negative self-talk, focusing on what you "can't" do or what you "don't" want to do, often leads to drops in performance. Use anchor phrases or affirmations to help you focus on what you can control to put yourself in the best position to achieve the outcome you want. Remind yourself of all you have already done to be prepared for this moment. At the very least, focus on what is possible and stay hopeful that you have a chance.
How others talk to you
Think about your top few people whose opinion matters to you. This could be a teammate, competitor, coach, parent, or friend. Make a list of those top 3 people who are honest, helpful, invested in your success, and believe in you. These are the people that you want to pay attention to and seek encouragement and compliments from when you do well. Really take that positivity to heart and repeat it to yourself often. You can even incorporate their words into your own self-talk.
Your Past Successes and Experiences
If you are not doing it already, start an accomplishment journal. After every training session, list out all of the things you did well (no matter how big or small). You are often so caught up in improving weak areas that you forget all of the success and accomplishments you have each day! Drawing on these successes and accomplishments is an essential confidence booster. Recognize the hard work and dedication you put into achieving your past successes and remember that you are capable of performing well in your current or upcoming competition. Also, draw on the times when you've struggled and found ways to overcome. Remember the "Cinderella story" team and remind yourself that you are capable of that as well.
Your Progress and Achievements
Athletes need to have goals and targets to work towards. Very often, athletes identify goals that are very big and require a large amount of time and effort to achieve. Make sure that you have smaller milestones and effective tracking methods to ensure you are making progress. When you can recognize that you are one or two steps closer, it helps to keep your confidence up that you can achieve that big lofty goal. Be sure to have a measurement system in place so that you can track your progress, acknowledge your milestones or achievements along the way, and celebrate your successes.
Confidence is a critical success factor in athletics. However, it is not a one-time achievement. Confidence must be fueled so that it is ready whenever you face challenges and pressure situations. Develop your confidence initially by focusing on what you CAN control to put yourself in the best position to achieve your desired outcome. Be sure to maintain your confidence by using the four strategies: positive self-talk, seeking compliments and encouragement from a vital few, drawing on past successes and experiences, and acknowledging your progress and achievements. Train your confidence just like you train your strength and endurance so that it's ready when you need it.