Here, we discuss sport-related self-confidence issues and what you can do to address them.

Self-confidence refers to your belief that you can achieve a desired outcome. It can affect your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, which can influence performance. In other words, it can impact you both mentally and physically.

Sports research consistently finds a correlation between self-confidence and successful athletic performance. Therefore, boosting self-confidence should be a top priority.

Where Does it Come From?

Self-confidence can come from many different sources, and what works for one athlete may not work for another. For example:

• An athlete who struggles with body image or social anxiety might benefit from wearing a kit that makes them feel good about themselves. In contrast, an athlete who is already confident in those areas may not care what they wear.
  
  

• Additionally, an athlete who lacks confidence in their abilities may benefit from participating in a lower-level competition that will help them build their skills and confidence rather than jumping into a more advanced competition and feeling overwhelmed.
  

Your Support Network

Having a solid support network is key to building your confidence. Whether it’s your parents, coach, or friends, having people who believe in you and encourage you can make a huge difference. They can push you to be your best, celebrate your successes, and help you bounce back from setbacks. However, it’s important to find the right balance.

If your parents or coach are too overbearing, it can actually do the opposite and make you feel less confident. If they put you under too much pressure or constantly tell you what to do, it can make you doubt yourself or feel like you’re not in control. That’s why figuring out what kind of support works best for you is important.

Do you need someone to give you space, or do you thrive with regular feedback? Once you understand your needs, communicate them to your support network. Remember, your parents and coaches will be wanting to help you. They might not realise that how they are supporting you is affecting your confidence. Let them know how they can best help you—whether it’s giving you encouragement, offering advice when needed, or just simply being there for you.

Remember, confidence grows from within, but having a strong support network will make boosting it a lot easier. 

Benefits of Self-Confidence 

Self-confidence can be a game-changer for athletes. When you believe in yourself, you’re more likely to push your limits, try new skills, and take on challenges without fear. It gives you the mental edge to stay calm under pressure, focus on what you’re doing, and perform your best. It also makes you more likely to enjoy your sport because you’re less worried about making mistakes. That enjoyment fuels your passion and helps you keep working toward your goals.

Everyone has tough days, but when you're confident, you're more likely to see failures as opportunities to learn and grow rather than something to be afraid of. This makes you more resilient, independent, and motivated to keep improving.

Self-confidence doesn’t just help you in sports; it’s something that carries over into other areas of your life, like school and friendships. So, working on your sports confidence can help you become more confident socially... win-win.

Tips for Building Confidence

1. Set small, achievable goals. Instead of focusing on huge, overwhelming targets, break them down into steps you can easily work toward. Every time you hit one of those goals, it gives you a confidence boost and proves you’re making progress.
   
   
2. Practice positive self-talk. It sounds simple, but how you speak to yourself really matters. Instead of focusing on mistakes or what didn’t go well, remind yourself of your strengths and how far you’ve come. Replace negative thoughts with things like, "I’ve got this" or "I’m improving every day."
   
   
3. Focus on your preparation. When you know you’ve trained hard, eaten well, and rested properly, you’ll naturally feel more confident in your abilities because you know you’ve done the work.
   
   
4. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Whether it’s teammates, coaches, or friends, having positive influences around can help boost your self-esteem. They can remind you of your progress and encourage you when you need it most.
   
   
5. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Confidence isn’t about being perfect. It’s about knowing that you can handle whatever comes your way, even if things don’t go perfectly. Learn from your mistakes and use them as opportunities to get better.

Over time, these habits will help you build strong self-confidence that lasts both in and out of sport. Keep believing in yourself!

Take Home Points

• Set achievable, realistic goals to provide regular ‘wins’ that will boost your confidence and reinforce motivation.
  
  

• Focus on the positives from every performance (there will always be some!).
  
  

• Remember, building self-confidence is a journey that requires time and patience.
  
  

• Embrace challenges and learn from your failures. Making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process and should be seen as valuable opportunities for growth and confidence building.

 
Evidence-Based Research 

Our content is supported by:

• Feltz, D.L., 2007. Self-confidence and sports performance. studies, 33(41), pp.50-66. (View Paper)
  
  
  

• Fu, D., Hase, A., Goolamallee, M., Godwin, G. and Freeman, P., 2021. The effects of support (in) adequacy on self-confidence and performance: Two experimental studies. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 10(1), p.15. (View Paper)