How to Feel More Confident Before a Sports Event
No one likes to feel nervous or unprepared before their big sports event.
The simple act of being confident can help you perform better both mentally and physically, but confidence isn't necessarily something you can flip on like a light switch. However, there are small steps you can take to cultivate positivity and determination, and that's the next best thing. Here are six tips to help build that confidence.
Practice Positive Affirmations
Self-doubt is one of the biggest enemies of confidence, so don't get caught in a cycle of negativity. One of the simplest ways to break out of it is to practice positive affirmations. This just means repeating simple, uplifting statements about yourself. Start by thinking of your strengths in your respective sport and turn them into little mantras. Maybe it's "I'm a valuable, needed player on my team" or "I will make a goal if I put my heart in it." Repeat these phrases to condition yourself to feel confident and capable of success.
Keep Your Fitness Up
Maybe this goes without saying, but you're simply going to feel more confident about any kind of sport if you feel physically ready for it. Don't miss out on practice and training sessions, and if you're still feeling unsure, try to work more fitness elements into your free time, too. While you don't want to overexert yourself and get hurt or fatigue yourself too much, you do want to get into shape to perform. Practice makes perfect, and the more practice you have, the less worried you'll feel about the real thing.
(Riverdale via The CW)
Work on Your Weak Points
When you're struggling in one particular area, it can bring down your confidence in all of the other areas, too. That's why it can be really helpful to identify your weaknesses and see if there's anything you can do to improve them. Even if you can't eliminate the rough spots entirely, working on them will make you a better athlete overall, boosting your morale in the process.
Have an Accountability Buddy
When you're struggling with a problem on your own, it can be all too easy to ignore the issue and hope that it goes away. By sharing your concerns with someone else who's in the same boat, you can both inspire and push the other to keep going and be better. Not only is it helpful to have someone to confide in, but a friend will also help you push yourself and keep to a plan, to matter how lazy you're feeling. Sometimes, a few kind words from a friend can have a major, lasting impact on your self-esteem.
(Riverdale via The CW)
Stop Worrying About What You Can't Control
Far too much time is spent worrying about the things that are completely out of our hands, and nothing productive ever comes from it. It's not up to you whether your teammates are prepared or what actions they take, and you definitely can't control the other team and outside factors like weather. Rather than being stressed out by these things, instead consider the fact that you're free from having to worry about them. Instead, focus on your own actions and ensuring that you're giving the situation your all. Be confident in your abilities, and forget about the rest.
Don't Compare Yourself to Others
If you keep comparing yourself to a famous athlete, or even the school's sports star, you might lose confidence from the fact that you can't do everything they can. Comparisons aren't helpful to anyone, and rather than inspiring you to do better, this kind of thinking will almost always discourage you in the end. Try to remember that everyone's situations are different, and it won't make you feel any better to dwell on the differences between you and them athletically. Instead, measure your progress against yourself. By seeing the small improvements in your own skill, you'll feel so much better about where you're going.
(SpongeBob SquarePants via Nickelodeon)
Trying to make the team? Click HERE for tips on surviving high school sports tryouts.