I have worked together with hundreds of youth and college aged students and athletes. Do you know what the successful individuals (both in the classroom and in the sports realm) share in common? They believe in their ability to do well. These individuals have a strong self-belief and are more likely to succeed. Secondly, they surround themselves with people who believe they can and will do well. The good news is that no matter the strength of your current self belief or the people that are nearest to you as support, you absolutely have the control to take steps for positive change.
We often hear the comment, “believe in yourself.” This is good, and certainly a positive comment, but how do we put this in action? Self-belief is more than believing in yourself; it is to trust in your own abilities to do well. A person who believes in their ability to complete tasks (ie: school assignments, exams, and perform well in their sport) takes ownership of their outcome. For example, they choose to put in the extra training to do well at a soccer try-out so that they earn a spot on the team. Or, they attend extra study sessions prior to final exams in order to earn passing grades. Those with self-belief trust that they have the ability to achieve greatness and take the appropriate steps to ensure they maximize their potential. A strong self-belief is believing and taking responsibility to do what it takes to succeed. Do those with self-belief always succeed? Often, they do. Although, they will have setbacks, just like anyone. But people with a strong self-belief learn from temporary set-backs, sharpen their abilities, and become better and more prepared to do well the next time. Ultimately, they will succeed more often than not.
Now the exciting part. How can you strengthen your self-belief? Here are 5 ways to transform your power of self-belief:
1. Pause, Reflect, and Identifly! Consider what matters most to you and what type of person you are and need to be to reach what your heart is set on achieving.
2. Become a lifelong expert goal-setter. Have a don’t stop, won’t stop mentality. Learn and practice setting daily, short-term, and long-term goals. The goal-setting process will serve as a road map for you to not only set, but also to navigate towards your goals.
3. Growth Mindset. Practice ultimate personal responsibility to become competent in the areas of your life that matter most to you. To recognize the control that you have in your life will empower you to work towards your dreams. You are the biggest deciding factor in whether you will succeed.
4. Embrace the challenges and grow! Adversity will truly make you stronger as long as you are ready to grind. This is where grit is developed. Grit is the outcome of passion and perseverance when working toward a long-term goals. It is a key characteristic of successful people. The more you overcome adverse situations, the grittier, stronger, and more mentally tough you will be as a person and athlete.
5. Be grateful for your personal journey. Staying positive is important to maintain a high level of self-belief. Be appreciative for the opportunities you have and for where you are in your journey.
Continue to repeat and repeat and repeat this 5 step cycle.
Let’s circle back to the second crucial key shared by those I have mentored in the university setting. Successful students and athletes have positive support systems. Support systems evolve with time, so it’s important to recognize the importance to surround yourself with those who believe in you and your ability to do well. You must be a positive force for those you encounter daily, and as much as possible have friends, family, coaches, teammates who root for you!