Athlete Confidence Killers

Performing Well Despite a Poor Warm Up

Sports Psychology Video

Sports Confidence Buster #9 Do you (or your athletes) have to perform well in warm ups to feel confident at the start of competition? I’m sure you build confidence from lots of practice and training. But what happens to your confidence when you don’t perform up to your expectations during the the warm up? This is a common … Sport Psychology Article…

Lack of Trust in Skills Undermines Confidence

Sports Psychology Video

Confidence Buster #7 Do you have trouble taking your practice skills to competition? The main mental game sabotage is lack of trust in your skills. Athletes fail to trust their skills for many reasons… You might be afraid to fail, fear embarrassment, try too hard, or want that perfect performance and avoid mistakes, and thus play tentatively. If … Sport Psychology Article…

All or None Thinking: One Trap For Perfectionists – Video

Sports Psychology Video

Sports Confidence Buster #6 Some of the greatest athletes ever are perfectionists including Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams. So how did they get away with being perfectionists? Is perfectionism helpful? Is this part of the reason why these athletes are great or is perfectionism a thorn in their side? The best athletes are able to parlay … Sport Psychology Article…

Do You Worry About What Others Think – Video

Sports Psychology Video

Sports Confidence Buster #5 Many athletes worry too much about what others think of them. These athletes worry that others, such as teammates, coaches, parents, and friends might think badly of them. We call this social approval… If you think this way, you want to be admired, accepted, respected, or liked by other athletes, coaches, or teammates. Part … Sport Psychology Article…

Athletes Who Make Comparisons to Competitors

Sports Psychology Video

Sports Confidence Buster #4 When you walk onto the playing field or court, do you (or your athletes) look around at other athletes and think they look better than you? This is another huge confidence buster for athletes–putting other athletes on a pedestal–because it leads to self-intimidation. You (or your athletes) might look at other athletes and think: … Sport Psychology Article…