Chapter 7: Maintaining Confidence in Yourself

Chapter 7: Maintaining Confidence in Yourself

Confidence Comes from Within

Overcome Adversity

It's easy to lose confidence in yourself. We all have off days and bad moments where we don't feel our best. But it's important to remember that these moments are just a part of life, and they don't define who you are as a person or as an athlete. It's also important to remember that your confidence is something that you have to work on every day. 

When it comes to winning, Mark Messier knows a thing or two. 
A six- time Stanley Cup champion, Messier is the second most prolific playoff points scorer of all time. He's also a two-time most valuable player in the NHL, a 15-time all-star, and the only person ever to captain two different teams to Stanley Cup championships—the Edmonton Oilers (even after the departure of his great friend Wayne Gretzky) and the New York Rangers. Simply put, Messier is a winner. But he's also so much more than that. He's a leader, motivator, and an inspiration to everyone who has ever had the privilege of playing with him or watching him play. He's the epitome of class, competitiveness, and character. In other words, he's everything you want in a hockey player—and more. So, it's no wonder that, when it comes to winning, Mark Messier is always at the top of his game. 

But even players as prolific as Messier struggle with confidence. Everyone struggles with developing and maintaining confidence. 

"Even at the peak of my career, I would struggle at times. I was fortunate enough that we had sports psychology seminars at a very early age, basically the first year of my career when I was 18 years old. I kept it with me my whole career," Messier said in an interview. "Self- confidence is huge, and a big part of that is self-talk—when things aren’t going well, not to be negative. You have to figure out what went wrong, so you’re able to move on from any failure" (Smith, 2022). 

What causes you to lose confidence in yourself?