I had unstoppable confidence
I experienced a complete 180 in my skiing. The previous season, I didn't reach my goal. I didn't qualify for the NCAA Championships. I felt so frustrated all season because I was making the same mistakes at races and not showing my true skiing abilities. That next season, not only did I qualify for NCAA Championships, I became a Two-Time All-American* in both SL and GS. I had scored my lowest points ever in both disciplines and I finally raced with confidence.
Now you're probably wondering how I did that. How did I go from being so frustrated with my skiing to complete confidence? It didn't just happen in one race. After doing well at the beginning of the season, I could have felt more nervous and doubted if I could keep it going. But I was different that season. My mindset was strong.
The truth is, mental training isn't built overnight. Confidence is built through consistent practice and creating new habits. And that work was done in the off-season.
*All-American means that you place top 10 at the NCAA Championships.
Building Confidence in the Off-Season: Why It Matters More Than You Think
The off-season isn’t just about getting physically stronger—it’s also the perfect time to train your mind. Mental training is often overlooked, but it’s what separates good athletes from great ones. And one of the most important parts of mental training? Building unshakable confidence.
If you wait until race season to start working on your confidence, you’re already behind. The real work happens beforeyou step into the start gate. That means now is the time to begin.
Here’s a simple but powerful 3-step process for building confidence in the off-season—and how it can change everything.
3-Step Process for Building Confidence in the Off-Season
1. Recognize When You’re Feeling Doubtful
The first step to building confidence is awareness. This is the step most athletes skip. You can't change what you're not aware of. Doubt often hides behind overthinking, procrastination, comparison, or even perfectionism.
You have to notice when self-doubt is showing up. That could be in training, in other sports, in school, or even socially. Pay attention to your thoughts:
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“I’m not good enough.”
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“I always mess this up.”
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“Everyone else is better than me.”
These thoughts feel real—but they’re not facts. Recognizing them is the start of shifting them.
Mental note: Start journaling or writing down moments where doubt pops up. Get curious, not judgmental. Start building awareness around what triggers your self-doubt—because that’s the beginning of changing it.
2. Question the Doubt
Once you’ve noticed a doubtful thought, the next step is to dig deeper. Ask yourself:
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Where is this coming from?
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Did I have a bad experience that I’m still holding onto?
- Is this belief helping me or holding me back?
- Is this 100% true—or is it something I feel when I’m under pressure?
Often, self-doubt is tied to a past moment where you felt embarrassed, failed publicly, or didn’t meet expectations. But that moment doesn’t define you. It’s just data—and you can use it to grow. A lot of self-doubt comes from one or two moments that left a mark—and we make them mean something bigger than they really are. Instead of thinking, “I always fail at this,” start thinking, “I’m learning how to handle this better each time.”
Example: You might believe you’re “bad under pressure.” But is that always true? Maybe you had one race where nerves got the best of you. But what about the race where you pulled through even though you were terrified? That counts too.
3. Shift to Confidence
Confidence doesn’t magically show up—it’s a decision you make every day. You choose to be confident in yourself. Confidence is built when you show up for yourself consistently. When you act like someone who believes in themselves even when it’s hard. Even when you’re unsure. Even when you failed last time.
You might not feel confident yet—but you can start to take the actions that help you to build that confidence. You have a reason to be confident in everything you do. Maybe if it's your first time trying something new, it makes sense to not have full confidence but with other things we have done before, there's always a reason and proof that we should feel confident.
For example:
- Instead of feeling like you won't be strong enough to lift the heavy weight in the gym... SHIFT TO -> you have put in the reps for this moment, you wouldn't be given this opportunity if you were not strong enough
You don’t have to feel confident to take action. In fact, confidence grows by taking action.
Why This Matters for Next Season
The confidence you build now shows up when it counts later—on race day, under pressure, and when the results don’t go your way. Remember when I said that confidence isn't built overnight, it's because it takes time to build the habit of being confident even if you're nervous.
Following the process above can help you to Recognize the voice of self-doubt, Challenge it so it doesn’t keep you stuck, and Replace it with intentional, positive thoughts and habits that build belief.
This is exactly what I coach athletes to do: create awareness, understand the root of doubt, and then step by step, build your confidence back—one that can handle pressure, bounce back faster, and perform how you want to perform.
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