Many famous athletes have spoken about the importance of confidence in sports. Here are a few examples:
Overall, confidence in sport is crucial for success. Confident athletes perform better and more consistently than athletes lacking in confidence. Confidence is our belief in our ability to do something well and confident people exert more effort even in the face of difficulties – so when the going gets tough – the confident performer gets going. Think of all the great sports performers and coaches you know who will have faced adversity but come through.
Self-confidence is our belief in our ability to achieve a goal. In golf, you might feel self-confident in your ability to hole a four-foot putt but feel less confident in your ability to hit a draw off the tee with your driver. How do we come to make these judgements about our ability? To begin, we judge our capability to perform a skill and we also judge the likely outcome of that performance. You might stand on a tennis court waiting to return a serve. You might to return the serve because it is a strength of your game. Here, you are making two judgements: Can I return this serve? And after executing the shot, did the ball land as I intended? This outcome (i.e., where the ball landed) offers information to tell a story about your ability as a tennis player. If you could not return the serve you might tell the following story: “I just didn’t get my racket on it. That’s terrible attempt. What am I playing at? It’s a waste of time”. Or you might tell this story: “I didn’t return the serve. I feel I moved well to get in position. Perhaps I underestimated the windy conditions. It’s an excellent lesson to learn today”.
Each story is accurate in its own right; however, each story might carry its own consequences. When we feel self-confident, we are likely to work better and persist longer on the task. The first story suggests tennis is a waste of time because the tennis player could not perform a skill well on that occasion. The second story suggests that there are lessons to be learned and the tennis player can learn these lessons. The second story harbours possibilities for learning and change which offers encouragement to the tennis player. Telling the right story in the right way to oneself is critical in tennis and sport.
One of the most interesting facts about confidence is that it is not concerned with the skills one possesses but with the judgements of what one can do with the skills one possesses. This point is critical in sport because you might have all the skills to perform in your sport at the highest level but you judge yourself and the skills you have, harshly. You judge the skills you have are not ‘good enough’ to succeed at the level you play your sport.
Because we are concerned with our judgements, we need to realise that we are making sense of sources of confidence in our mind. These sources of confidence are (1) achievements from past performances - our performance accomplishments (2) modelling others who have succeeded, (3) gathering support from others and this can include verbal persuasion from significant others, or positive self talk (4) managing our emotional states and physiological arousal and (5) imagining success.
The association between self-confidence and performance occurs in both directions. What we mean here is that succeeding at a task fosters self-confidence beliefs and these self-confidence beliefs help performance by influencing thoughts, feelings and actions. But succeeding at tasks is most crucial which means we need to design our practice to experience incremental success along the way.
So confidence in sport is crucial for success. There are many ways to build confidence, and to develop this aspect of your mental game we would suggest working with a qualified sport psychologist. Here are three practical strategies they may suggest to increase confidence in sport:
The way athletes talk to themselves can significantly impact their confidence. Positive self-talk involves replacing negative thoughts with constructive and affirming statements, fostering a more optimistic mindset. Because of this athletes are often encouraged to identify and challenge negative thoughts. For example, they may create a list of positive affirmations related to their abilities, achievements, and strengths. In moments of doubt, athletes can consciously replace negative self-talk with these positive affirmations.
Visualization involves mentally rehearsing successful performances, imagining oneself executing skills flawlessly, and envisioning positive outcomes. This technique helps build confidence by creating a mental image of success. Athletes can incorporate visualization into their pre-competition routine. For example, by vividly picturing themselves performing well, imagining the sights, sounds, and feelings associated with success. Regular practice of mental imagery can enhance confidence and improve actual performance.
Keeping a performance journal allows athletes to track their progress, document successes, and reflect on areas for improvement. Reviewing past achievements can bolster confidence and provide a tangible record of growth. Athletes can maintain a journal where they record positive experiences, successful performances, and personal achievements. They can then revisit this journal regularly, especially before competitions, to remind themselves of their capabilities and progress. This retrospective focus can contribute to increased self-assurance.
Remember, the effectiveness of these strategies may vary from athlete to athlete. It's essential to tailor these approaches to individual preferences and incorporate them into a comprehensive mental training program. Consistency and intentional practice are key to maximizing the benefits of these confidence-building strategies. If you would like to work on your confidence in competition it is always best to speak to an expert. Why not work with a sport psychologist? You can search for one on our directory of sport performance professionals.
