“I am just not confident. My coach says I just need to be confident, but I don't know how. I know I can be better than I’m currently showing. I hate feeling like this, Coach Andrew.”
That’s a conversation I recently had with a young female lacrosse player. The truth is, it's a conversation I have almost everyday! Luckily, there are 3 quick and easy things an athlete can do to get confident.
It is upsetting when I watch this common, fixable problem break the hearts of mom and dad. It's upsetting watching your son or daughter doubt him or herself, lack self-belief, lower their standards, and hold back.
How many others are there?
How many kids out there have the desire to be successful yet are left feeling hopeless, unworthy, and anything but successful?
3 Keys to Confidence
1. Know, Focus On, and Double Down On Your Strengths.
When you focus on where you are lacking, falling short, or weak, you feel anything BUT confident. Write down your strengths and talents, now.
2. Don't Wait to Feel Confident, CREATE it.
Many wait until they feel confident to do anything-- they end up waiting for a long time.
Instead of waiting until you are "ready", take risks and practice new skills consistently until you feel confident.
Raise your practice intensity, get stronger by lifting and training 3 days per week, and study other athletes who are confident. Then, apply it consistently until you are confident.
3. Look Back to Spring Forward.
When you spend time visualizing the past times that you have succeeded, you will naturally feel more confident.
It takes consistency and discipline of focus to not just remember the times you messed up, but rather, the times you were awesome.
These 3 keys will help your young competitor big time, but they just scratch the surface of becoming more confident, happy, and successful as an athlete.
The Unstoppable Athlete book and the 5 accompanying bonus resources are here to solve that problem and ignite your confidence for good.
