The Confident Mind
What Confidence Is And Isn’t
You need to be confident in order to perform at the highest level, thinking hesitant thoughts will only interfere with your performance.
Many people conflate confidence and arrogance, this is incorrect. You can be confident without being conceited or arrogant. Humility paired with confidence is the key.
Just like a bank account confidence is not fixed and can be improved, it rises and falls in every given moment. Your confidence is tied to what you focus on.
Accepting What You Cannot Change
To become more confident you need to start by accepting four things
1) Humans are imperfect
2) Mind + Body is connected
3) Actions of the ANS (Autonomic Nervous System)
4) Delayed returns of practice
“This Sucks” -> affects unconscious emotions -> changed physical well-being -> changes in execution (-)
“I can do this” -> affects unconscious emotions -> changed physical well-being -> changes in execution (+)
Re-frame how you look at tense situations
“Let’s see how well I can do “X” vs “I better do well here because if not I will be in trouble”
Be curious about your imperfections, they are telling you something
The nervous feeling you are feeling is GOOD thing. The sweaty palms, the stomach churning all are a part of our innate system of fight or flight, This when switched on makes us stronger, faster and smarter. You must tell yourself, “I am excited and my body is getting ready to perform at 100%.”
Be patient with your body as it learns, success will surface in time.
Building Your Bank Account: Filtering Your Past For Valuable Deposits
You can use your memory selectively, choose to focus on memories that create energy, optimism and enthusiasm.
You create a filter so you only put good deposits into your confidence bank account. Ask yourself what you are dwelling on, then it might be apparent to you why you lack confidence.
This is how we build you bank account artificially;
Everyday I want you to deposit three memories into a journal before you go to bed:
1) What did you do that made you feel accomplished
2) Something that made you feel like you progressed
3) Where you gave good effort
Building Your Bank Account: Constructive Thinking In The Present
Things you can do in the present to build confidence
STOP telling yourself you cannot do something, tell yourself you’re going to do well.
Self-affirmations of the key skills you have/want to have. Write them in the present tense in your journal before bed and be specific.
1) A quality or skill you want to have
2) An action that will lead to a skill
3) Outcome you want
Soccer Example:
Quality or Skill: I am calm and composed when making defensive decisions.
Action: I will visualize successful tackles and interceptions before each game and practice patience and timing in defensive drills.
Outcome: I make smart, timely tackles, clear the ball with accuracy, and protect my goal under pressure, boosting my team’s confidence in defense.
You can repeat affirmations whenever, you can make a rule that whenever you step through a doorway you repeat a self-confidence affirmation…think about how many times you would tell yourself throughout the day. Your conscious thought process will soon take shape into an innate subconscious attitude. The key here is CONSISTENCY.
Building Your Bank Account: Envisioning The Ideal Future
Controlling the pictures and feelings about your future. Envisioning causes actual brain changes, and speeds up the natural pathways in the moment.
Make the envisioning as vivid as possible, feel the textures, hear the sound, visualize the molecules, feel the temperature, take in the surroundings, taste and smell the air. Picture each step leading up to - during - after. 15 minutes a day.
Start with the desired result, picture where the competition takes place, list moments, obstacles, and encounters with problems on the way. Picture how you will react. Be detailed. Make sure you envision problems, and you overcoming them. Re-frame the negative event and affirm you are in total control.
