15/02/2022
How do I develop confidence?
So self-confidence helps athletes achieve better results, excel at their sport and overcome any obstacles. But here is where the big question comes in: how do you develop confidence?
Recall that confidence is multifaceted and there are several different types of confidence: confidence in performing certain physical skills; confidence in using your mental abilities; confidence in making the right decisions; confidence in learning new things; and confidence in your physical fitness.
One theory of confidence development is the theory of self-efficacy, the ability to perform a task successfully. Self-efficacy can be derived from six main sources: achievement; indirect experience; verbal persuasion; imagined experiences; physiological states; and emotional states.
Achievements are your successes and failures. The more successful the experience, the higher the self-efficacy. How a coach can influence this: teaching players to learn from failures, which will produce athletes who are resilient not only physically but also mentally, able to overcome obstacles.
Indirect experience, or modeling. Demonstrating some kind of action is not just talking to players about how and when to apply a skill, but motivation, concentration, attention and retention. To acquire a skill, successful players must practice it regularly.
The third source, verbal persuasion, is closely related to praise. Every coach needs to know what to say to players to influence their confidence. For example, young athletes rely heavily on positive and constructive feedback from older athletes. Praise from coaches also makes players realize the importance of practice and hard work.
