"What matters is that in your head and in your heart you know that you can succeed."
YOU have to believe in YOU. You have to know that every time you step in that box, that you are an athlete. You are a competitor and you will win. That pitcher on the mound...she’s not better than you. You can beat her. You can win the battle. You have trained and practiced for this. You have done everything you can to be the best that you can. You know your strengths. You know your weaknesses. You are disciplined. You are focused. You are CONFIDENT. Believe in you. It doesn’t matter if I believe in you or if your coach believes in your or if your mom believes in you. What matters is that in your head and in your heart you know that you can succeed.
You are not arrogant. You are not prideful. You are not boastful. You are confident. Confidence is quiet. Arrogance is loud. Confidence will speak for itself. Let it. You are not in competition to get an All-Star award or to get your name in the newspaper. You are in competition to beat that pitcher on the mound. Because beating that pitcher gives your team a better chance to win. Every time you succeed, your teammates succeed. Every time your teammates succeed, you succeed. And every little success adds up throughout the game to create a win for your team.
Sometimes, you will fail. That’s okay. That’s part of the game. This game was not designed for you to be 100% successful. That’s never happened and it never will. But what kind of player will you choose to be after you fail – after that pitcher beats you? Will you let it break you mentally? Will you let it take away your confidence? Or will you be mentally tough because you know that next time, you CAN win. You won’t always be successful, but the point is that every time you step in the box, you have the OPPORTUNITY to be successful. And every time you step in the box you know that this time CAN be your time.
This game is 90% mental. The physical part is easy. A lot of people have the physical skills. Champions are distinguished through their mental game. Are you going to be mentally tough? Are you going to let a loss get to your confidence? Are you going to give up and shut down? Are you going to let next time be decided by last time? Or are you going to tell yourself, “No opponent is better than me. That pitcher on the mound isn’t better than me. I can win. And I will.”
You are not arrogant. You are confident.
“I told myself I was great before I ever knew that I was.” – Muhammad Ali