Confidence

Confidence

Confidence may be a mental attribute, but its birth is physical. In weightlifting, and in any other sport, confidence stems from consistently developing and applying physical skills in conditions that mimic competition.

The first victories are small, unheralded gym wins, seen by no one but yourself. As these small victories accumulate, they are replaced by larger ones, until an unshakable faith in your ability grows within you. People call this confidence. Yes, in its mature form, it is a mental attribute, but never forget that its infancy was physical. No amount of motivational speeches can manifest true, lasting confidence—any effect they may have is artificial and temporary, and it begins to crack when met with real adversity. As Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” When this happens, you’ll fall back on what you have practiced—repetition after repetition in the gym.

The problem is that most people view training and competition as two distinct things. They see training as the norm and competition as the exception, this only fuels the fear of the unknown and increases the pressure when it’s time to perform. Once an athlete recognizes the normalcy of competition and understands that it’s simply an extension of their daily training, nerves settle and confidence naturally increases. Because in the end, there's only one reality: themselves, the bar, and referees there to enforce a standard. The stage, the lights, the cameras—they’re all just illusions. Once an athlete realizes this is exactly what they do every day in the gym, they’ll realize just how prepared they truly are.

So, the next time you step onto the platform—or into any arena in life—ask yourself, “How different is this from what I do every day?” If the answer is, “Not all that different,” approach it with the same confidence you bring to training. Ignore the smoke and mirrors—you’re ready to do battle.

Carl Bevan - M73 (35-39) National Championships