“There are a lot of guys out there with the ability but not the mind.”-- Micheal Jordan

Do you have a minute? Think about this: without question, it is difficult to achieve your highest potential without confidence, to complicate matters, the challenge increases when you are unsure how to build belief in yourself.  If you were to take a moment and google confidence, you would find many definitions such as “a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances or the quality or state of being certain”. No matter which definition resonates with you, the trust in oneself is an essential skill that athletes should strive to achieve.

Confidence helps to reduce performance anxiety and increase resiliency when things don’t go as planned, such as a missed free throw or striking out at the plate. Self-assurance matters because it is rooted in the belief in yourself, which cannot be taken away by a missed play or the loss of a game. When confidence drops, it is often replaced with negative self-talk and doubt.

It is important to recognize the power behind motivational self-talk and how it teaches athletes how to build their own self-confidence and capacity. When faced with difficult situations, how do you ground yourself and reassure your body and mind to reset and refocus?

Researchers have identified that self-talk had a positive effect on task performance, increased self-confidence, reduced cognitive anxiety, and that changes in task performance were related to changes in self-confidence (Hatzigeorgiadis et al., 2009).

Here are some quick tips for a reset?

1. Box Breathing is one of the most popular grounding techniques. Here is an example:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

2. Replacing negative self-talk allows us to challenge our thinking and replace them with statements of affirmation. For example: “I am more than this moment”, and  mistakes help me to improve”. Be intentional about the messages you are sending to yourself.

3. Focusing on the next immediate step allows us to slowly put one foot in front of the other, redirecting our focus to what our ability is in the moment, without worrying about the big picture, bringing the attention back to what we are able to achieve incrementally. Focus to blocking a shot (in the moment) rather than winning a championship, helps us be able.

Building confidence is not an overnight process. It is something that is developed moment by moment, practice by practice, and day by day. The more you intentionally practice your confidence reset, the more natural it becomes.

Confidence is not about never making mistakes knowing that when mistakes happen, you have the tools to reset, refocus, and move forward. And sometimes, all it takes is 60 seconds.