Every sports person knows the scary feeling before stepping into the field. Feeling your heart beat faster, and thousand thoughts running in your head. Even the most talented and hardworking players can feel stress and lose their self-confidence before a game once in a while. It is difficult to feel confident especially knowing many are watching you.
A softball player who performs very well during practice may not do so well in a game. This can be due to pressure of winning or disappointing your school or college. You can overcome all these by building your confidence and being positive. Here are some ways you can build your confidence during a game.
Stop procrastinating and be optimistic
Do not overthink. Avoid negative thoughts. All of us have bad thoughts like how we will fail a test even if well prepared. However, this is often just procrastination. Doubting yourself and fearing failure will distract you. Try to be motivated. Talk to people who motivate you. You can motivate yourself by keeping your mind focused on game. Think about your strategy to win the game.
If you get a negative thought, try to suppress it with some relaxation techniques. Listen to your favorite song or watch a funny video. Take a deep breath or count backwards from 100 to 1. Think off all the things to do after the game. If you are generally an anxious person, then try taking meditation classes or yoga. It will help you in long run to avoid anxiety. Our mind is the controller of our actions. Correct mindset and attitude plays an important role in achieving success.
Believe in yourself
All practice sessions, getting the best softball bats you can afford, countless hours spent trying to improve yourself; you worked hard for this. Remain focused and be positive. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will. Remember that you are selected in the team because you got what it takes to win. Be confident and stay calm. Sometimes our team mates or coach may put you down. Don’t let that bother you. Interact with people who believe in you.
Stop comparing yourself to others
Do not compare yourself to other team members. Focus on your performance. Everybody is different. If someone is a great pitcher, it does not mean you are a bad one! For some, it may be easy. For some, it requires lot of practice. Ultimately, it is how you perform in the game that matters most. Learn admiring others without feeling jealous. You are playing for yourself. You are not playing for others. So do not compare with others.
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Give it your best shot
Do your best. It is not easy to achieve anything without pushing yourself. Put all your problems aside and play hard. Try to take healthy and energizing food before game. Avoid eating junk food before the game. Keep practice session day before game minimal to avoid exhaustion. Get a good night sleep. Take everything you need for the game like shoes, one of your best softball bats before leaving for the game. Try avoiding last minute tensions. Take fluids before the game to avoid dehydration. Speak less to people who will undermine your confidence or scares you. Be cheerful and try to increase the confidence of your team. Positive thoughts attract positive energy.
Be cool
Even if you perform badly or you lose be cool. This is a game. Improve yourself so you can do better in next game. Success comes to people who don’t give up. Try again. Analyze what you did wrong this time and work on it. Ask your coach or team mates to help you improve. Do some research and find out best method that will improve you. Practice more. With time you can overcome your failure. Being confident and well prepared are best assets of any sports person.