The Risk of Failing to Cultivate Confidence in Your Athletic Journey

A common challenge faced by many athletes at the beginning of a new year is a decline in confidence. During this period, we often find ourselves assisting athletes who are navigating through confidence slumps. In the recent week, I had the privilege of supporting a talented division 1 basketball player, as he grappled with a dip in confidence.

The holiday season had its impact on him, and understandably, as a winter sport, he could not take a break from his sport mid-season. He had rattled off several bad basketball games throughout the holiday break and was starting to see his playing time decrease. I worked with him to reconstruct some of his habits, guiding him back to a place of certainty. The positive outcome was evident as he excelled in his first game back after we talked a couple of times.

Nevertheless, it highlighted the potential risks when athletes neglect actively working on boosting their confidence.

The 4 Dangers of Not Building Your Confidence as an Athlete

1. Overanalyzing situations that typically pose no challenge - even if you've successfully navigated these scenarios numerous times before, doubts start to creep in. This occurs because you haven't consistently practiced and ingrained the necessary skills, both mentally and physically.

2. Doubting your abilities - building on the first point, it's natural to question your skills. The absence of regular mental and physical rehearsal often leaves you feeling uncertain and unprepared.

3. Seeking approval from others - a prevalent issue I often observe is athletes lacking confidence trying too hard to impress those around them. Instead of possessing unwavering self-belief, they end up playing a game of seeking validation from others, which can be detrimental.

4. Experiencing anxiety - in simple terms, if you've ever lost sleep due to worrying about an uncertain future, stemming from a lack of confidence, then it's likely you've grappled with feelings of anxiousness.

What I do with Athletes when they are experiencing this.

Rebuilding your confidence is, in fact, a straightforward process—it's just that the guidance may not have been provided, and that's not your fault!

Often, you're taught how to "physically prepare yourself to be a beast," but the aspect of thinking like a "beast" is overlooked. Here's our approach to helping athletes of all ages and levels, whether professional or not:

1. Envision a challenging skill daily—focus on a skill that leaves you uncertain or questioning yourself. For the athlete I assisted, it was how to bounce back after making a mistake on the court. We've detailed the process in a comprehensive video with step-by-step instructions.

2. Practice the identified skill every day—whatever you visualize, commit to daily physical practice. Dedicate at least 15 minutes to specific practice sessions. In the case of the athlete I supported, he concentrated on where is mind was after mistakes, and where it actually should be, incorporating this routine before each practice.

3. Analyze film footage of the skill daily—simply put, observing others is the fastest way to learn. Choose a role model who excels in the skill you're working on, study their techniques, and take notes. Observation is a powerful learning tool.

4. Reflect on your daily progress—often overlooked yet crucial in confidence-building. Maintain a journal or use your phone notes. Pose a daily question to yourself, such as "What small improvements have I made with INSERT SKILL HERE?" Record your observations and witness the remarkable progress over time.

Stay Resilient

And there you have it - this is how we help our athletes build their confidence at the start of the new year. This year, you deserve to reach your full potential, reach the flow state in all your competition, remember that.

Stay resilient,

Coach Dave

Founder Flow State Mentality

P.S. If you want to work with us in any capacity, there are 3 ways we can help you:

1 - TOGETHER with Coach Dave. www.flowstateathlete.com/contact
2 - ON YOUR OWN with our monthly membership platforms. www.flowstateathlete.com
3 - FOR FREE on YouTube and our social media platforms.

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