Race confidence comes with proper preparation. Confidence is earned by the athlete through thoughtful training sessions.
Confidence is not given. Even for those with gifted athleticism, one will still have to train effectively to perform well.
Training is what makes athletes strong, both mentally and physically. As you work conscientiously on training your body, you will also be training your mind. It’s what will give you the confidence and competitive edge you need. “I hated every minute of training,” said Muhammad Ali, “but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'” And a champion he became.
We all know the story of Ali, the American professional boxer now considered one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport. It was his commitment to training that gave him the edge. “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses,” he said, “behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Ali remains the only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion, winning the title three times in fifteen years.
As an athlete, even one who is blessed with an innate talent, it is the training that propels you forward. Through training you will find the confidence you need to shine. Only with the confidence that comes from training can you not only out-perform your competitors, but perform in a manner that makes you the top competitor in your event.
Training to be the best goes beyond a combination of isolated factors. As you condition, you develop the skills and strategies which control your performance, mentally and physically. As you prepare your body to compete, you also prepare your mind. This is the way in which you can take responsibility for your performance, with honed physical skills and a mindset of confidence. With due diligence in your training, you will be ready to face the competition. There will be no anxiety or fear; there will only be determined self-assurance.
American professional tennis player Sloan Stephen, recently ranked twelfth in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association, said, “When you have confidence, you can do anything.”
Starting tennis at the age of nine and then choosing to do her studies through an online home-schooling program to allow herself more time on the tennis court, Stephens knows the importance of training. She trained hard, gained confidence and ended 2013 ranked eleventh in the world. She is the only woman ranked in the top thirty who is under the age of twenty-two.
Thanks to her efforts and to her understanding of the importance of spending the time to train that she needed, Stephens is taking the tennis world by storm.
You, too, can take the world by storm. If you dedicate yourself to the training required, you will rise to the top. It doesn’t matter how long it takes because anything worth doing is worth doing well. And anything worth doing well is worth the time it takes to do it. Your confidence will come. Spend the time you need. Work the routines. Do what you need to do. And you will become triumphant.
In Health,
Coach JD
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