Trust your preparation. Confidence comes from knowing you did the work, not from hearing praise.

Detach from external noise. Cheers, criticism, and stats fluctuate — your standards shouldn’t.

Measure effort, not approval. Evaluate yourself by how you competed, not by reactions around you.

“Confidence grows when you stop asking for permission to believe in yourself.”

Michael Jordan: “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”

Praise character traits. Discipline, resilience, focus — these last longer than results.

Avoid emotional overreactions. Big swings in praise or disappointment teach athletes to seek approval.

Remind them who they are. Confidence sticks when identity isn’t tied to performance.

“Children learn self-belief when love isn’t conditional.”

Carol Dweck: “Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better?”

Set clear internal standards. Athletes should know what “good” looks like before feedback arrives.

Balance praise and challenge. Reinforce effort while pushing growth — not approval-seeking.

Teach self-evaluation. Ask, “How did that rep feel?” before giving your opinion.

John Wooden: “Self-control and self-discipline are the root of good form.”

“The strongest confidence is quiet — it doesn’t need to announce itself.”