How to Build Confidence and Maintain It
Building confidence has been a conversation that has been going on since I picked up a tennis racquet for the first time. However, with many sides to this conversation, many ask, “What is true and who should I listen to?”
The number one problem is that most players try and get confidence from results. However, before the results show up, there is a lot of anxiety and uncertainty from the player, which often means playing tentatively and not being able to play at their full potential. This is a very fragile state to be in, and a player can lose years of experience and progress with their game. Particularly, rebuilding that confidence, especially without the necessary knowledge, will be more time consuming. It does not happen by practicing more, playing more matches or playing more tournaments.
So how does confidence happen? The good news is that confidence can be instant. In fact, it is achieved with three easy steps:
Build solid technique that you can repeat anytime, especially when it matters.
Reinforce technique with good practice habits. Deliberately working on particular skills.
Use the technique you have solidified through your practice in your matches to get the results you want. If you can do it in practice, you can do it in a match.
To continue building your confidence, be sure to reach out to a pro to gain more one-on-one tips specific to your game!
