Research has demonstrated a direct link between confidence and performance, such that greater confidence leads to better performance. This relationship holds true not just in sports, but in many other domains as well.
However, athletes are particularly prone to focusing on their past failures rather than their successes. They may be overly preoccupied with their training scores or times, leading to fluctuations in their confidence and performance based on these metrics alone. As a Rapid Results Trainer™ working with athletes and sports performers, it's crucial to reinforce their past successes through techniques like recall and visualization.
By encouraging athletes to vividly remember and re-experience past successes, we can help them tap into the skills and abilities that led to those successes in the first place. With each successful recall, they can draw upon the components of that experience and build upon them to enhance their current performance even further. Through these techniques, athletes can develop a more positive mindset and greater confidence in their abilities, ultimately leading to improved performance on the field.
Case Study
Using The Focused Awareness Technique and Timeline NLP techniques , which use recall and visualization. I previously worked with a young footballer who was struggling with their confidence during games. Despite their hard work in practice, they would often doubt themselves and make mistakes on the field.
In our sessions, we explored the client's past experiences to identify any negative beliefs or emotions that might be holding them back. Using the Focused Awareness Technique* and Timeline NLP Techniques*, we revisited a particularly difficult game from earlier in the season where the client had missed a crucial shot and felt like they had let their team down.
Through our work together, we were able to reframe the client's negative beliefs about that experience. By looking at the game more objectively, I helped the athlete see that their mistake was just one moment in a long game and that they had actually performed quite well overall. We also highlighted moments of support and encouragement from their teammates, which helped the athlete feel more connected to their team and more confident in their abilities.
I asked him to re-live a successful shot on goal. This was done at a slow pace so that he could really get in touch with those feelings and techniques that had made the shot so successful. Finally, I asked him to focus on the feelings that he had after scoring the goal and the celebration and feelings of connection with his teammates and gave him time to really develop those feelings.
This was followed with some suggestion work that the next time he took a shot, he would use the above technique unconsciously to amplify success
Reporting back, the client began to feel more confident on the field. They started taking more risks, playing more aggressively, scoring goals, and enjoying the game more. Although he still made mistakes from time to time, he was better able to shake them off and stay focused on the game.
As a result of their improved confidence and performance, the footballer began to have more success on the field. He developed a reputation as a strong and reliable player, which not only benefited them personally but also helped their team perform better as a whole. It was rewarding to see the athlete grow and flourish through our work together.
This is a useful exercise for athletes to identify areas of their performance that have improved or declined since their last successful competition. Striking a balance between confidence and adrenaline is crucial in sports
In any intervention to boost confidence, it's important to incorporate calming techniques that promote relaxation without suppressing the adrenaline necessary for optimal performance. The key suggestion should be to draw upon past successes and give their best effort on every occasion. Such as:
“….to relax you just enough and only enough, to enable you to draw upon your own best past performances and give of your best, be your best and do your very best on every occasion.”
The mind, from my experience, is capable of interpreting this message successfully.
In addition to past performances, athletes should also draw on recent training performances that exceeded expectations. For golfers and the like, it's crucial to emphasize the next shot rather than dwelling on past mistakes or poor scores.
Fear of the crowd or other competitors can also be reframed by suggesting that athletes are competing against themselves rather than anyone else.
While success in competition cannot be guaranteed, athletes can walk away proud of their own performance by focusing on doing their best. By putting the emphasis on personal growth and improvement, athletes can overcome the fear of facing renowned opponents and remain motivated to win.