Coaches Corner: Having a Belief and Confidence

Coaches Corner: Having a Belief and Confidence

Date: 1/21/19
By: Brendan Dougherty

When a player is struggling, we often hear that he just needs a little confidence. In a game that is built around failing more than you succeed it, is difficult to maintain confidence. The ups and downs that baseball has can be difficult. The brain is very complex and it is easy to linger on the failures because we know that even Hall of Fame players are going to fail 70% of the time. All athletes struggle with maintaining confidence at some point in their career. The players that have the most success are the ones that are able to have a belief in their abilities and understand why they are good. Confidence is a choice! When a team or an individual pulls off an upset, it is most often said that they gained confidence, or they had a belief that they would win or have success. If you visualize in your mind that something good will happen and you believe it will happen then, the majority of the time it will. There will always be setbacks. These setbacks are opportunities for comebacks and you have to expect them. If you can remember this formula and apply it, you will have something to add to your routine and also be able to stay in the present moment. EVENT + RESPONSE=OUTCOME. ERO

Navy Seals are the most elite fighting force in the world. The selection process just to begin training in the SEAL program is very difficult. It is the best of the best. If they are selected into the program it is the most difficult training known to man. The reason is because the things that they will be asked to do are not ordinary. They have to be mentally and physically tougher then the mission they will be going on. The SEALS know and understand that the mind will allow your body to be pushed to the extreme. They have to have a belief and a confidence that they will get the job done. Lone Survivor, a novel that was also adapted into a film, was written by Marcus Luttrell. If you have the chance to read the book, I would highly recommend it. The movie misses some of the details that are in the book. Because of his training, his belief, and his confidence Luttrell was able to overcome the Event. He Responded and was able to produce the outcome, which was to survive. In no way am I comparing his story to a game; but in order for us to have success, we have to have a belief and confidence in our preparation and our abilities. Even if you have struggled at the plate or on the mound for the last week you have to be able to walk into the box or get on the mound and believe in your mind that you are going to hit a ball hard or execute this next pitch. The Navy Seals have a creed and I think it is perfect for athletics and for everyday life.

US NAVY SEAL CREED

“I WILL NEVER QUIT. I PERSEVERE AND THRIVE ON ADVERSITY. MY NATION EXPECTS ME TO BE PHYSICALLY HARDER AND MENTALLY STRONGER THAN MY ENEMIES. IF KNOCKED DOWN, I WILL GET BACK UP, EVERY TIME. I WILL DRAW EVERY REMAINING OUNCE OF STRENGTH TO PROTECT MY TEAMMATES AND TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION. I AM NEVER OUT OF THE FIGHT.”

Use the link below to purchase Lone Survivor from Amazon:

https://amzn.to/2S0Vqoa