Here’s to another intriguing session at TSG which was more of dealing with the psychology of a golfer or an athlete at large. Our expert pranav Jose came up with the most asked yet least discussed topic for a player- “Confidence”!
What do you believe to be the top career goals of professional athletes?
Additional medals?
Improved instruction?
Reduced injuries?
Well, the goals are much more than that!
A study that included almost 150 Olympic medalists unexpectedly found a different conclusion. Confidence was the most frequent objective among these accomplished sportsmen, not fame, freedom, or even consistency.
Indeed, many athletes seek for greater confidence even after achieving the highest level of success in their sport. And this realization contradicts the widely held notion that exceptional performance requires confidence. The reverse is true. Being confident does not automatically translate into success. It’s not an emotion. It’s an activity, and the secret to reliable, excellent performance is realizing this distinction.
Confidence Is Not a Feeling
Before acting, a lot of people wait to “feel confident.” They believe that I will perform as soon as I feel prepared. However, what if you might never feel confident due to the very nature of performing?
Consider golfers as an example. Even pros have sweaty hands, racing thoughts, and fluttering anxiety when they stand on the first tee box. Although we frequently categorize these emotions as a lack of confidence, they are evolutionary reactions. Our bodies are getting ready for optimal performance. That internal rush naturally leads to increased awareness, quicker reaction times, and more discerning decision-making.
Sometimes, what you experience is your system going into a state of preparation rather than dread or weakness. Nevertheless, we frequently mistake it for a threat to our performance.
The Myth of Positive Thought
The notion that success requires positive thinking has long been pushed by modern psychology, particularly in the West. You have to remind yourself that you are the best when you look in the mirror. However, a more pragmatic perspective is gradually replacing traditional performance psychology: it’s about avoiding allowing your thoughts to control you, not about managing them.
Suppressing unpleasant or worrisome thoughts frequently backfires. The mind’s function is to produce thoughts, some of which are beneficial continuously and some of which are not. We give them more room the more we oppose them. We need to learn to behave despite our emotions rather than attempting to “think positively.”
Confidence Is Action-Based Trust
Confidence hails from the Latin words- “con” (with) and “fidere” (trust). Moving with confidence is nothing but having faith in your planning, your routine, and your procedure. Eliminating doubt is not the goal of confidence. It’s about acting clearly in the face of uncertainty.
To quote an example, Rafael Nadal- the gold medallist of the Olympics, has admitted that he has worries before every match. And he is not alone in this. Any athlete’s journey includes doubt. The capacity to concentrate on the action—the swing, the serve, the shot—is what distinguishes champions rather than the lack of doubt.
Why Self-Belief Is a Result, Not a Need
Consider this: no one would ever take action if confidence were a prerequisite. However, we develop the muscle of performance when we take action, especially despite nervousness. Confidence comes from doing, not the other way around.
Imagine getting to your feet after telling yourself over and over again, “I can’t stand.” Still, you get up. The action continued despite the thought. Giving the concept too much weight is the only thing that can hold you back.
The mind will do what it was designed to do, which is to generate scenarios, worries, and “what ifs.”
And that’s where we at TSG ask our players to put the action ahead of the noise. As an athlete, your job is to surrender to the process whole-heartedly and golf would flow automatically.
Discipline and Preparation Above Emotion
Players frequently hit the ball cleanly, calmly, and without overthinking on the driving range. However, routines disappear, and anxiety sets in during the course. Why? Because the mind has been given more room than it merits.
Performance on the course and range practice are frequently at odds. Your skill doesn’t change because of that. It’s because you start to overanalyze instead of focusing on execution.
How can we bridge that divide, then? By giving both routine and discipline. You must approach the course with the same level of attention that you provide the range. Make your method deliberate. Maintain a rigorous exercise. The most prominent voice should be your behavior, not your thoughts.
Don’t fight the thoughts; instead, embrace them.
It is pointless to try to suppress feelings or thoughts. Instead, please take note of them and proceed. Admit to yourself that you’re anxious. For instance, one of our players had this query- “I do have some doubts. I have, however, done this previously. I am aware of my routine. I am aware of my swing.”
Pranav navigated through this psychological query by advicing the player that- You become free when you make the change from resisting thoughts to embracing them. It gives you more mental energy to concentrate on the essential things, including your routine, technique, and preparation.
At the end, we at TSG family wish our players to feel the confidence within!
The fire you wait to feel is not confidence. It’s the fire you start by consistently turning up, no matter how you feel. It’s about believing in your capacity to execute, even when skepticism tells you otherwise, and having faith in your preparation.
Therefore, don’t wait to feel secure before taking the stage, the tee box, or a big presentation. Be confident in your preparation, take action, and stand tall. Because genuine confidence is a choice you make and an action you take, not a feeling you seek. And this way my friends, golf would automatically flow!
