How I boost my confidence in 2 minutes before I run out on court.
Confidence is one of the biggest keys to having a great game.
Being born with a passion for something is one thing, but having the confidence in your ability to do it is something you have to develop.
People aren’t just born confident. Confidence is a skill that can be learnt and developed. So if you are feeling a little low right now, trust in the process and commit to these few helpful hints.
I’ve put together 3 of my best strategies to take the pressure off yourself.
1. Get lost in your Strengths
In the warm up, or before you run out on court start by identifying your strengths. Don’t worry about all the things you are not ‘currently nailing’. You have plenty of time to keep working on those things at training.
Focus on your best assets. If it’s your speed, smarts, holding under the post, height or your ability to lift your teammates?
No one is awesome at everything. If you want to do great things with the hour you are out on court, just sit in this happy place and keep exposing your opposition to your strengths.
2. Power Posture!
Every moment, whether we’re aware of it or not, we are communicating to our teammates and opposition via our posture and body language. The way we carry ourselves sends a silent message about how we feel, and whether we’re calm or nervous, shy or confident.
So standing up straight, with your head held high, your shoulders back, smile on your face and no hands on hips, sends a message to everyone on court, or courtside that, I am confident and in the zone.
3. Chunk your game
The art of “chuncking” is the practice of getting out of our heads, and into the here and now.
All we have to think about is the first C-Pass. For me, I would think about my early workload, losing my player and just taking one play at a time.
This helps us separate ourselves from the little voice in our head. We start to feel connected to what’s actually happening in that moment on court.
No longer bound by last weeks results and personal fears, we are free to be ourselves, to express ourselves, fully and authentically. With only possibilities!
This is the ultimate confidence.