Have you ever experienced a day when you feel as if you are not performing, as well as you can? When one’s physicality remains the same –having no limiting injuries- an off day may be the resultant effect of an environmental change, or merely being taken out of your comfort zone. These changes bring about the element of confidence instability. As much as one may often disclaim the idea, the mental aspect is one of the most important elements of being an athlete. Mental toughness will allow an athlete to raise their level when the stakes are high, or falter under pressure.
At the beginning of my university soccer season at LaSalle, I was taken way out of my comfort zone. I was playing with a new group of girls, and far away from home. Although I had been in this situation many times before, it was a transition period for me. I sometimes caught myself becoming submissive to the pressure. I began to lose confidence, and the more I lost confidence, the worst my playing became –it was all a cyclic effect. Changes, and transition periods, are when one must be the most confident.
I have learnt, that the easiest way to build confidence is to assure that you are prepared. Although I was not comfortable in my environment, I used it as a means of fueling my training sessions. The more pressure I felt, the more I increased my work rate. When I went back to my national team, I played the best soccer of my life. That was an immediate confidence booster. I later came back to school, and my playing style was above and beyond what it had ever been. I realized, that my lack of confidence for the first couple of months at LaSalle was all that was hurting my performance.
If you are physically fit, and prepared, there should be nothing to worry about. Instead, every new challenge should be nothing more than another opportunity for a person to build their confidence. As athletes, we are tested every day. The more competitive our sport becomes, the more we are taken out of our comfort zones, while expected to raise our level of performance. We must be physically prepared, in order to build our confidence level. An athlete can never achieve greatness without adversity. Use obstacles, to fuel success. With adequate preparation, and confidence, one is given all of the tools to achieve victory in the eyes of adversity.
