Just as a low self confidence can affect your relationships and career in life, so can a lack of self confidence have an adverse effect on your performance in sports? Sometimes, having a lack of self confidence is the greatest barrier that prevents and stops athletes from achieving their peak performance. If you want to break through your own limits, you have to first remove the barriers that having a low self confidence has built around you.



There are many athletes who can and are able to perform well during training and practice sessions, and yet when it comes to the big game that they have been training so hard the entire year for, their performance is sub optimal. This is often termed as a lack of competitive confidence, which is different from practice self confidence.

How does one achieve competitive confidence? Self confidence is to have faith and belief in your own ability and skills, without even letting doubts or other's comments affect you and your performance. In order to achieve improved competitive confidence, you have to achieve the same things as having a strong self confidence. However, it goes beyond that. Do not let your previous shot or play determine your level of confidence. You should base your confidence on the hours and years of experience in the past practice and competitions that you have participated in.

It is extremely easy for athletes to feel confident during practices, but not only must they be confident during their practices but they must be trained in competitive self confidence as well, in order to perform well. The best way to develop this is by working on building up mental strength through positive thinking. If you are an athlete, make a list of the thoughts and doubts that plague you and cause you to feel less confident about your performance. So long as you hold on to these thoughts, or allow them to stick negative self labels on your persona, you will not be able to perform at your peak.

Competitive confidence is not built up overnight; it is something that has to be accumulated through years of practice and success. Your self confidence should be something that is able to transcend having a good practice session, it should also be able to withstand failure or less than optimal performances and still go on playing with confidence. Keep in mind that you are more than just your last play or shot.

Champion athletes are able to be champions because they believe that they are the best in the world. Having a strong sense of self confidence in sports is important, and the best way to improve it is by having a positive self image. Take a few moments everyday to remind yourself why you are the best in the world, and believe in yourself. When you are next in a big game, you will find that your improved self confidence will help you keep or perhaps even breakthrough the limits that you have set for yourself.