Motivation - Building Self Confidence

 Motivation -- What is self confidence, arrogance? Not by a long shot. Self Confidence is the honest belief you can not only handle the challenges and stress of the game, but look forward in anticipation to the competition knowing you’re ready skill wise for the task.

  When you feel confident you play baseball better. It’s just that simple. You’re not going to the plate thinking “I wonder if I can hit this pitcher?” You go up thinking “When I hit the ball I’ll think about trying for two.”

  However, no matter how good you are, there’s always a chance of losing your confidence. You’ve seen Professional Major League hitters, historically 300% hitters who will hit a slump, they can’t buy a hit, and become either too aggressive at the plate, swinging at bad pitches, Or too timid and hesitate too long, taking good pitches for strikes.

  Even these players begin to doubt their ability, their confidence is shattered. They dread going to bat instead of looking forward to hitting. They change their batting stance, more open or closed or hold their bat higher. These are all classic signs of losing your self confidence.

  OK. So we know everyone, even the best players in baseball, risk having a self confidence problem. What can we do to correct the problem and regain our confidence? We will begin by visualization and positive stroking.

1. Write a List of Personal Achievements: 
 
Sometimes we ourselves suffer from the “What have you done for me lately” syndrome. We need to re-enforce our memories of past accomplishments. It doesn’t have to be long and winded unless you want it to be. Write down things such as:

* I love playing the game hard with no regard for myself sustaining personal injury when it comes to sliding.

* I have become much more focused on my fielding. Balls look like beach balls coming at me. I can’t miss catching it.

 You get the idea. Develop personal affirmations.

 Jot down a list of  your accomplishments in baseball.

* I hit 427 in April.

* I won the MVP in the Spring Invitational.

 Give Yourself Personal Pep Talks

  You may not want to do this around your team mates, but recall positive things you’ve experienced through playing baseball and list some of them.

 Tell yourself out loud,  This Is Extremely Important ... what these positive things were.

* I made a fantastic running catch deep into right field last game.

* I stole second and third, then scored the winning run on a passed ball earlier in the season.

  These three tasks may indeed sound silly or arrogant or whatever, but here’s the deal, we’re re-training our brain, our mind, our mental toughness.

  In the first exercise your mind’s eye actually viewed a list of achievements it’d forgotten about, and You are not only a good ball player, but a great person. This new information replaces, or at reduces, the memory of the recent failures at bat.

  Then, once again your mind’s eye sees a list of undisputed accomplishments which prove you are a good player. The new information reduces or eliminates the self doubt of can I do it. It’s there in black and white, you have already proven you can do it.---Motivation

  Lastly, your mind hears positive things about your accomplishments. Ever hear the saying “Say it long enough and you’ll start to believe it.” That pretty well says it all. Your mind doesn’t care it’s your voice its hearing. As far as its concerned it’s the Coach, other players, whoever saying these good things about you. It believes it.

Things Must Be Said Out Loud !!

Cognitive Strategy

  What is that and what does it have to do with baseball? Another way to think of cognitive strategy is  Thinking Like a Winner

  Obviously, the way you think directly affects your feelings and behavior, which in turn affects your thoughts and your athletic ability. Most of your athletic performances, especially the good ones, are performed with absolutely no conscious thinking. You react, You perform like your training has taught you to.---Motivation

  However, sometimes the pressure of the game, the unavoidable self doubt thoughts and just plain negative thinking can adversely affect your game. The ability to master the Cognitive Strategy type of thinking can get you right back on track. It’s a good Ace to have in the hole.

Motivation back to Sports Motivation

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