Confidence: Build it and Success Will Come

by Stan Tzogas

Confidence is the firm belief that you can do what is required to succeed. Confidence is developed thorough practice. It is built by numerous successful completions of techniques, tactics, skills or tasks in practice situations. One must perform in practice what is required in competition because successful practice will develop one's confidence and lead to successful outcomes. For example:

1. If I drill countless repetitions of a shoulder throw in practice and then start scoring with it in practice scrimmage matches, I will then feel confident that I can successfully use the shoulder throw in tournaments.

2. If I often get out-muscled in matches, I should seriously begin to strength train. I will start to notice that I am doing more chin-ups and lifting heavier than before and I am now assured that I am stronger.

3. If I am feeling winded (gasping for air due poor cardio-fitness) in matches, I must work on my cardio-fitness. I build confidence in my cardio through demonstrated improvements in cardio-fitness exercises like running or swimming.

The more often one experiences improvement and success in efforts, the more likely that one will be confident in attempting new challenges successfully. Having confidence in your abilities helps you to win more matches. Think about and focus on what you do well in practice and do that in a match. Focus on this process and the outcome usually takes care of itself. Knowing that you can perform and execute your techniques and tactics is the type of confidence that is needed to win matches.

Choking in competition is a result of a lack of confidence or over confidence. A lack of confidence is the self-perception that you are unable to meet the demands of the challenge. Over confidence is thinking that success will come easily despite the demands of the challenge and there is no chance of losing. This lack of motivation to meet the challenge leads to a decreased concerted effort, later resulting in becoming overwhelmed in the process by an up started opponent. Thinking you can easily win regardless of any challenges and not focusing on the process will lead to a poor performance.

Building confidence is not an overnight event, it is a progressive process. To build confidence, rehearse in practice what is required to succeed in a match. Progressively demonstrate successful rehearsals in practice matches by gradually increasing to more skilled sparring partners. Bring these successfully demonstrated skills to the tournament matches. Focus on the process of using your skills effectively and success will come. This in turn will further develop your confidence. Go back to practice, reload yourself with more skills and repeat the process.

What you put in your mind is what you get out. The constant use of self-talking internal dialogue will smooth the progress of building confidence. After each successful attempt at a task praise yourself. Tell yourself how good you are. Early in his boxing career Mohammed Ali said "I am the greatest" so many times that Ali actually convinced himself, he was great before he attained greatness. The use of self-affirmation statements like those used byMohammed Ali, will help. An affirmation statement is an "I am" statement that athletes use regularly to help bolster self-confidence and direct focus. Example:

I am totally prepared and I have worked hard to wrestle with relentless intensity.

I am tough and tenacious