Elite sport performance/Self-confidence/Self-confidence

= Self-confidence =

Boxer Muhammad Ali was self-confidence personified. He coined the phrase &#x201C;I am the greatest&#x201D; and thereafter the aura of greatness followed.

Listen to an audio snippet of him talking with the press ahead of the famous &#x201C;Rumble in the Jungle&#x201D; fight with George Foreman in 1974 as he affirms his superiority over his opponent.

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Audio credit: Muhammad Ali &#x2013; I will show you how great I am by Stefan KP.

Understanding self-confidence
Self-confidence has been described as the guardian angel of performance, but what comes first? Does good performance lead to high self-confidence or does self-confidence lead to good performance? A classic chicken and egg scenario. Perhaps the relationship is circular.

In this section, we will look at the nature of self-confidence, how it can be assessed, its relationship with performance, and how to build confidence. Once you have completed this section you will:  Understand what is meant by self-confidence in the context of elite sport. Be able to describe the sources of self-confidence and the benefits they offer. See how confidence can be threatened. Have some practical methods to build self-confidence. 

