Confidence in Sports Tips

How to Succeed as an Athlete Despite Adversity

How to Succeed as an Athlete Despite Adversity

Have you ever thought about the damaging power behind the phrase ‘to make matters worse’? The phrase “to make matters worse” further catastrophizes an adverse event. Many sports announcers use the phrase to describe an athlete’s or team’s worsening prospects or condition throughout a season. Many athletes are stuck in the habit of catastrophizing. They often highlight every … Sport Psychology Article…

How to Perform Under Pressure with Confidence 

How to Perform Under Pressure with Confidence

How Confident are you When the Game is in Your Hands? Confidence is situational. An athlete’s confidence level can vary depending on their situation or circumstances. That is, you can feel confident in your ability to successfully perform in some circumstances and not others. For example, a basketball player may feel more confident when shooting free throws early … Sport Psychology Article…

What is Excellence in Sports? 

What is Excellence in Sports?

What does “setting the standard” mean in sports? Setting a high standard refers to establishing a level of quality, expectation, or performance. Some teams set winning as the standard. Often, teams with a high expectation of winning adopt the credo, “Championship or Bust.” While winning may be the goal, defining success in those narrow terms is problematic. For … Sport Psychology Article…

How to Build Confidence Like the Pros

How to Build Confidence Like the Pros

How can you be a confident starter when you rarely start? Many athletes become highly anxious after their coach tells them they will start the next game when they have played minimal minutes. The fear of making mistakes or costing your team the game is overwhelming when you view yourself as the “weak link.” Imagine the following scenario. … Sport Psychology Article…

How to Benefit From Mistakes in Competition 

Tune negativity Out

How do You Handle Game-Ending Mistakes? Your confidence is directly impacted by how you handle mistakes, misses, and miscues. All athletes make mistakes. How you respond after the mistake matters most. For example, if you miss the last shot of a basketball game, will you let that miss cause you to pass up shots late in future games? … Sport Psychology Article…

How to Grow Competition Confidence 

How to Grow Competition Confidence 

How Do Elite Athletes Compete with Confidence? Elite athletes are most confident when they focus on their strengths. Too often, athletes worry about making mistakes or messing up during a competition. These athletes fear that their weaknesses will be exposed and they will be the reason their team loses. When you focus on your weaknesses, you approach the … Sport Psychology Article…