Skill Development and Confidence

This is a great follow-up to some previous Mental Training entries.

– Dennis Chighisola

Shaun Goodsell, MA
Senior Performance Coach

Shaun@MentalEdgeNow.com

If you scan or read most articles describing the success or failure of an athlete, inevitably, somewhere in the article there will be the mention of confidence as the crucial factor dictating success or failure. Why is it that so many believe that confidence is so important? I think it is because we are addicted to feeling good and believe that everything begins with feeling good. If someone succeeds we think it is because they believe they can. If they fail it is because they do not believe they can. The fact is that it is much more complicated then this.

What dictates a person’s level of success is whether or not they have the skills to be effective, not how deeply they believe in themselves. Although a belief in oneself is helpful, it is not the determining factor in one’s level of effectiveness. The time athletes spend developing their skills and their subsequent mastery of those skills is the most significant factor in determining their level of success. When an athlete masters skills and transfers their mastery to competitive arenas then a deep level of belief forms. Cultivating this deep belief starts with believing that specific skills are the vital difference makers in competitive situations and the application of those is what is responsible for success.

One story that highlights this concept happens often in the sport of baseball. When a pitcher is unable to get hitters out there might be any number of reasons for that. They are not hitting their spots, changing speeds, lacking velocity, or simply not studying hitters and learning how to get them out.

In football it could be a lack of speed, execution, or game planning. In hockey it could be some fundamentals are lacking making it difficult to create success.

The belief that a person has in their ability to be effective and successful is completely tied to their level of skill development and this is one of the vital factors that goes into helping young athletes shape the kind of mindset that helps them compete successfully as well as enjoy doing it. So next time you are tempted to believe that it was confidence that dictated an outcome, maybe look a bit deeper and see if skill application wasn’t what dictated the outcome.

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PS: If the above article causes you to sense that Shaun and The Old Coach might be  on the same wavelength, beleve it.   Actually, I was think all the time I read it that just about every drill and game playing tip on this website was initially developed with a player’s confidence in mind.  And my suggestions to go slowly and to master each step before taking on the next is also aimed at building confidence.  Confidence IS that important.  With it, a guy or gal is a real player; without it, welll…wavelength, beleve it.   Actually, I was think all the time I read it that just about every drill and game playing tip on this website was initially developed with a player’s confidence in mind.  And my suggestions to go slowly and to master each step before taking on the next is also aimed at building confidence.  Confidence IS that important.  With it, a guy or gal is a real player; without it, welll…

– Dennis Chighisola