Are Confidence and Mental Toughness the Same?
- WINNING STATE
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Are confidence and mental toughness the same?
Why is this important? Because the correct answer changes how you mentally prepare for competition.
NO! Confidence and mental toughness are not the same.
If we believe confidence is enough we're going to fail most of the time.
In 2002, we first asked this important question. We made the distinction that confidence and mental toughness are not the same.
Here's why.
The Confidence Myth
This is the myth: If we crank up our confidence a couple of notches we won't be harassed by doubt and worry. The idea is wrong. Increasing our confidence doesn't eradicate doubt. That's wishful thinking and not a all true. Doubt is real. Doubt is relentless.
The Villains
No matter how confident we are, self-doubt will always compete for attention in our head. Doubt, indecision, and hesitation are the villains in every competitor’s story. The heroes are mental toughness, self-belief, composure, decisiveness, and conviction.
Fails the Proof Test
The idea that more confidence handles pressure does not' pass the proof test. Confidence is a feeling that comes and goes. Confidence is easily shaken. One minute we're confident, but then add a new element of pressure and we doubt ourselves.
Every competitor flip-flops back and forth from doubting to believing and then back to doubting.
This flip-flopping battle is won with mental toughness tactics, not a momentary uptick in one's self-esteem.
Picture Practice
Practice is mostly void of pressure, doubt is hardly a factor, and distractions are minimal. Nothing holds us back. But change the scene to performing in front of a crowd and we hiccup. We blink. We hesitate. We second-guess ourselves. We have “too many minds,” as noted in the movie The Last Samurai. It's true. And it’s completely natural.
Once We're on Stage
Athletes and coaches need to wrap their mind around this fact: confidence and mental toughness are not the same. Confidence is still a factor to performing well, but once we're on stage mental toughness is what we rely on to stay positive, battle adversity, and to stay LOCKED IN on nailing the objective.
One Mind
Thinking that more confidence eliminates hiccupping or narrows one’s focus to having “one mind,” is not the right strategy. The right strategy is to command mental toughness tactics that produce the mental control to deal with flashes of failure, lapses of concentration, and run-a-way emotions.
It Takes Mental Toughness
This simple shift in perspective opens the door to building a mental game loaded with mental toughness tactics to conquer nerves and win. For now, buy in to that fact that mental toughness is what competitors draw on to fight the fear of blowing it and instead believe they have what it takes to succeed, not more confidence.
Are Confidence and Mental Toughness the Same?
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By Steve Knight
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