Have you ever taken the time to think about what confidence means, and looks like for you? Confidence in the pool and out of the pool? Confidence is the belief that you can handle what comes your way, it’s not about thinking you’ll always win, or never make mistakes, but it’s about having the tools, the mindset, the resilience and the self awareness to respond, adapt and keep moving forward, even when things get tough.
Real confidence, doesn’t mean being perfect, or never feeling doubt… It means saying things like, ‘I might not have all the answers right now, but I trust myself to figure it out’. How do you create healthy confidence?
Five Tips towards a Confident self
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Know yourself; confidence starts with self-awareness. Understanding your strengths, but also your limits. Know how you learn, what motivates you and how you respond to setbacks. The better you know yourself, the more stable your confidence becomes.
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Put in the work; confidence grows through preparation and consistency. If you’re showing up, doing the work and learning from mistakes, you’re building a foundation you can trust.
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Talk to yourself, not down to yourself; what you say to yourself MATTERS! Healthy confidence sounds like: ‘I didn’t get it right today, but i’m learning’. ‘this is hard, but I’ve done hard things before,
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Focus on Progress, not perfection; confidence isn’t about flawless performance, it’s about growth. Look at how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go.
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Ask for help when you need it! Confident people don’t try to do everything alone. They know when to lean on others, your coach, your teammates, friends. That’s not a weakness, that’s wisdom!
In summary; Confidence isn’t a personality trait — it’s a skill.
And like any skill, you can build it, train it, and improve it. In all parts of your life! In the pool and out! It starts with knowing yourself, doing the work, and being kind to yourself along the way.
Sarah Conlon
WPA Wellbeing and Engagement Manager
