Guest blog written by Anna Latva-Pukkila, psychologist and mental performance coach
Three Steps to Stronger Self-Confidence
Have you ever noticed that your self-confidence can vary from one situation to another? The good news is that self-confidence is not fixed. It can be developed through practice.
In this article, I share three research-backed perspectives to help you strengthen your self-confidence in sport and in everyday life.
Self-confidence refers to a belief in your own abilities and in your capacity to perform well in the task at hand. It reflects a positive experience of personal competence. In sport psychology, we often talk about sport confidence, a concept that refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in their sport.
Research suggests that confidence is associated with performance. Importantly, self-confidence is something you can actively influence and develop through practice.
1. Uncertainty Is Part of the Game, Don’t Be Afraid of It
Self-confidence is not a permanent state, but an experience that naturally fluctuates. Your perception of your own abilities can vary from moment to moment and from situation to situation, as well as over longer periods of time.
In sport, strength and mental toughness have traditionally been idealized, and experiencing or expressing uncertainty is sometimes interpreted as a weakness or a sign of being unprepared. As a result, doubts and pre-performance nerves that arise before an important moment can feel alarming. In these situations, it is helpful to remind yourself that uncertainty is a natural response in meaningful situations. Even elite athletes experience it.
These feelings are not predictions of failure. Instead, they often signal that you care deeply about what you are doing and are invested in the outcome.
When training self-confidence, it is essential to learn to recognize and accept its natural fluctuations. Feelings of uncertainty can feel intense and convincing, but they don’t always tell the full story about your skills or readiness.
Emotions do not determine performance. What matters more is how you choose to act in the situation.
The next time uncertainty appears, try not to panic. Practice approaching the feeling with curiosity and self-compassion. Notice it, accept it, and despite it, act in ways that move you toward a successful performance.
2. Get to Know Your Own Self-Confidence
Strong self-confidence is built from multiple sources. For athletes, these may include technical skills and competence, consistent training and preparation, past achievements, support from coaches, teammates, family, and other important people in your life, as well as an environment that feels safe and supportive.
When developing self-confidence, it is useful to pause and reflect on your own experiences:
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When was the last time you felt confident?
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What was happening at the time?
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How did confidence show up in your thoughts, feelings, and actions?
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What sensations did you notice in your body?
Our minds are naturally wired to notice threats, making it easy to focus on problems. But it’s equally important to recognize our successes and what is already working well. Taking time to acknowledge what’s going well broadens our perspective and reminds us that moments of self-doubt are temporary and not the whole story. For some people, self-doubt can feel more persistent and deeply ingrained. That doesn’t mean it can’t be worked with over time.
Developing self-awareness is key to building self-confidence. By understanding the situations that strengthen your confidence, you can actively seek them out and create more opportunities to grow.
3. Gather Evidence: Try Keeping a Success Journal
Self-confidence is not only about how you feel. It is also based on knowledge of your competence and a realistic understanding of your abilities. Training and thorough preparation are the most important ways to build sustainable self-confidence. They create an inner sense of certainty: I know how to do this. I can handle this. I have practiced this many times. Positive affirmations can be helpful, but on their own they’re unlikely to be effective in the long run unless they are grounded in real evidence.
Many athletes keep a training diary, which is an excellent way to make long-term effort visible. Alongside your training diary, or as part of it, you can try keeping a success journal. For at least one week, write down three things each evening that went well that day. These successes can be big or small.
Be sure to include moments where you acted in line with your goals despite difficulties. Did you keep going even when you felt like giving up? Did you face a challenging situation or push yourself in a new way? These moments demonstrate your ability to act effectively in line with your goals, even when it is hard. That is mental strength.
You can think of your success journal as a confidence bank. You are storing evidence that you are skilled, resilient, and prepared. You can revisit your journal before important performances or whenever self-doubt creeps in. The entries remind you of the work you have done and the steps you have taken toward your goals.
Self-Confidence Is Worth Strengthening
I hope this article has offered you support and inspiration for developing your self-confidence. Building confidence starts with becoming familiar with your own experiences of confidence and learning to accept its natural ups and downs. When you embrace fluctuations in self-confidence, you create more space to focus on what truly matters for your performance.
Identify and reinforce patterns of thought and behavior that strengthen your sense of competence. Regularly remind yourself of your past successes and the effort you’ve invested along the way. This will help you trust that you have what it takes to succeed, even when your mind tries to convince you otherwise.
Anna Latva-Pukkila
The author is a psychologist and mental performance coach who supports clients in developing both well-being and performance. She is also a passionate endurance athlete and triathlete herself.
tyrskyperformance.com
@tyrskyperformance
References and further reading
Arajärvi, P. & Thesleff, P. 2020. Suorituskyvyn psykologia. Tieto- ja taitokirja korkeaa suorituskykyä ja hyvinvointia rakentaville. VK-Kustannus.
Magness, S. 2022. Do Hard Things. HarperOne.
Pietikäinen, A. & Pasanen, R. 2023. Joustava mieli urheilussa. Vahvista mielen taitoja urheilun tueksi. Duodecim.
Roos-Salmi, M. 2012. Itseluottamus. Teoksessa Urheilupsykologian perusteet (toim. Matikka L., & Roos-Salmi M., 2012). Liikuntatieteellinen seura.
Weinberg, R. S. & Gould, D. 2019. Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 7th edition. Human Kinetics.
