Sport is full of highs and lows. When a mistake, comment or situation knocks our confidence it can be really hard to get back up again. We start noticing what we’re not doing well more than what we are really great at.
As we move up through age groups or transition into higher levels of sport, it can feel like we no longer have the skills required to play at this level. Suddenly, everything feels more challenging and we tell ourselves that we are ‘not good enough.’
We put pressure on ourselves to impress other people, to be better than others or to show off what we can do. We forget our own strengths and our skills become forced rather than automatic.
Think back to the most recent time when you performed really well. What were you doing well? How did you prepare for this moment? What was going through your mind? What is different from this performance to what is happening for you now?
If you are experiencing a confidence crisis, you are NOT alone. Many athletes have been through this confidence crisis AND many athletes have come out the other side as a much stronger character.
If you’ve noticed a drop in your confidence, whether it be from a comment someone has made, a decision that has gone against you or a poor performance, it is hard not to dwell on this. Each time you get back out there, you end up thinking about what has gone wrong in the past. So, how can you restore your confidence and find the boost you need?
3 Confidence Boosting Tips:
Focus on your strengths. Record after each training session, what you have done well. When we remind ourselves of the positive actions we have taken, we build more belief in ourselves. We can also see how far we have come within a period of time.
Focus on the people who are important in your sporting journey. What support can you get from them right now? What do you need to keep developing yourself and improving your performance?
Focus on the actions or qualities that help you to play well. Examples could be staying vocal, taking risks, intentionally using external cues
Start having a go at these things and remember there is no quick fix! Don’t expect your confidence and performance to improve overnight. It takes time and effort to instil these positive changes but you’ll see a noticeable difference in how capable and in control you feel for tackling this head on.
If you find that you need a little more help in improving your confidence, get in touch with me today for a free consultation.
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