Doing it ‘for others’ is overrated!
Athletes often talk about ‘sacrificing’ for their team, supporters, coach, or even their country. There’s nothing wrong with that so long as it comes from authentic respect or gratitude. But here’s the catch: if that becomes your main motivation, it won’t lift you. More often than not, it will hold you back and here’s why…
Confidence isn’t a pep talk—it’s a byproduct. It shows up as you progress through consistent practice, skill refinement, and learning from wins and setbacks. Build your competence, and confidence will follow.
But what exactly is confidence? It is often defined as “the belief or perception that one can perform a task successfully” (Weinberg & Gould, 2019). It’s not about arrogance or blind optimism—it’s a grounded belief in your ability, built over time through consistent effort, feedback, and achievement. This belief enables you to remain assertive and adaptable under competitive pressure because you’ve earned the right to trust yourself.
Why Even Well-Prepared Athletes Struggle Under Pressure?
Continue reading “Confidence follows Competence”As performers become more acquainted with the three principles—Control Your Controllables, Confidence Follows Competence, and Focus Leads Your Performance—the superpowers of Self-awareness, Gratitude, and Kindness naturally emerge.
For example, as performers consistently apply Control Your Controllables, they become more aware of their emotional triggers and habitual reactions during competition. A practitioner can then underline how Self-awareness enhances this principle by helping performers recognise when they are fixating on uncontrollable factors, such as an opponent’s performance or a referee’s call. By noticing these patterns, they can consciously redirect their focus toward what they can control—such as their breathing, focus routines, or tactical adjustments—allowing for more composed and effective performance. Self-awareness also helps them tap into their innate confidence by recognizing areas of growing competence (Confidence Follows Competence) and redirecting attention toward task-relevant cues (Focus Leads Performance) during high-pressure moments.
By now, you’ve seen how Self-awareness enhances the three principles by helping performers recognize and manage their internal responses. As I expand on Gratitude and Kindness, I encourage you to think about how these superpowers might also amplify the principles, and how they could transform a performer’s approach to challenges and growth.
Continue reading “Part 3: Unlocking the Superpowers…”
Coach Hansen 