As an athlete mental health coach, I’m often asked about how to help athletes build self-confidence. It’s a fundamental trait that any athlete in any sport needs to develop, and it’s also one of the top concerns that players have. Whether you’re an active player or a retired one, overcoming self-doubt is something that you owe to yourself in order to grow into your best self.

5 Ways to Increase Athlete Self-Confidence

1. Stop comparing. I’ve often said that comparison is the thief of joy. Well, it’s also the thief of confidence. As a competitor, it’s your job to out-perform your competitors and it’s also your job to continue to improve as a player. However, that comparison can also be a distraction and a blow to your confidence. So, what’s an athlete to do? Focus on what you can do right now. What always matters in competition is the present moment, not the past nor the future. Moments are what win games and define memorable performances. When you find yourself comparing, focus on the present. You may want to use a mantra like, “In this moment, the playing field is even” because it really and truly is.

• Visualize successes and challenges. You’ve probably heard about visualization before. Most people visualize what it is that they want to achieve because thoughts create reality. I believe this is true, but I also believe that sometimes things happen that you can’t anticipate. So, it’s important to picture facing adversity and moving forward. Visualizing successfully navigating challenges will help you build resiliency and confidence for moments when things go awry. No matter what happens, you’ll work through it and you’ll be okay.

• Use affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements or mantras that you say to help you maintain your focus and motivation. They can help you build confidence because you’ll use these statements to remind yourself of your truth. When you do this repetitively, those statements will begin to become thought habits. You want to create statements that will help you build confidence with specific concerns. For example, if you’re afraid of making a mistake during a game, you might want to adopt an affirmation like, “I am fully prepared to do my best. I don’t have to be perfect. I can execute as well as I practice.”  The key with all affirmations is repetition. I suggest writing them down and reciting them every morning, any time during the day that you need a reminder, and at night before bed.

• Avoid imposter phenomenon. Imposter phenomenon is another major driver of self-doubt for athletes. It basically happens when you fear that people are going to find out that you aren’t as talented, skilled, or smart as other people think that you are. You might feel like you’re really not supposed to be where you are and that it’s all an accident. This insecurity can seriously impact your confidence in part because it basically means that you don’t trust yourself, you’re scared of making mistakes, and/or that you’re afraid of what other people think of you. I share tips on overcoming imposter phenomenon here, but one thing to keep in mind, is that you’re actually right where you’re supposed to be in divine timing. Your efforts and talent brought you here and your contribution is something that’s worthy. Try focusing on being proud of yourself for getting to this point. Also, write down all of the times that you did something awesome as proof that you are worthy and capable.

• Rewire negative thoughts and self-talk. If a coach wouldn’t say it in a locker room speech, don’t say it to yourself. (Okay, well maybe not all of the things that a coach might say would apply here, but you see where I’m going.) Start to pay attention to the way that you talk about yourself and the thoughts that you have. These negative statements are usually a reflection of a fear or something false that you learned from someone else. Your job is to boost your confidence by committing to changing these thinking patterns. One way to do that is to reframe the statement and then repeat it like you would an affirmation. To do this, write a negative thought when you notice it. This will take giving yourself space for reflection to pause and notice what you’re feeling when you’re feeling it. For example, maybe before a practice you notice yourself feeling pressure to perform and questioning your abilities. Write down what you’re feeling and then rewrite those statements into positive and empowering ones. Those can be your new affirmations.

Keys to the game:

• Motivate yourself without identifying as your weaknesses. All the negative things that you think define you, really don’t. You get to choose what you allow into your life so choose your identity wisely.
• Empower yourself as if you were a super-hero (or other alter ego) by rising above the self-doubt to become bigger than it. Take a deep breath and envision yourself growing into confidence so big that it overtakes all of the other stuff.
• Stop self-sabotaging by playing into actions that fit your negative beliefs or fears. The “see, I was right” defense doesn’t do you any favors.
• Give yourself permission to let go of what doesn’t serve you well.