Wooden's Secret of Success - Confidence

It’s interesting how we use this word so indispensably when we speak of competing. We tend to just easily throw out the expression, “Just be confident in yourself.” Like with poise, confidence cannot be forced into our lives. It is something we must learn and earn naturally- through experience. We also cannot have confidence if the rest of our blocks are not put into place. Without the building blocks of Wooden's Pyramid of Success, it is impossible to be confident in ourselves if we aren’t confident with our teammates. Our teammates cannot show confidence if they don’t trust themselves.

Confidence seems to be obtained through preparation. By preparing ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally and trusting ourselves and our teammates, we can achieve confidence. It’s not an action; it’s a state of being. It’s natural and it’s simple when all else is put into place.

Similar to poise, you can almost sense when someone is confident. They have a strong presence, they are clear in their choice of words; their focus is intent on achieving success. Often we can mistake confidence for selfish or egotistical behavior. This is not really the case. You are not egotistical by showing you are confident and by feeling important. It is when you think you are too important and too indispensible to the rest of the team where arrogance comes into play. Arrogance is a weakness and Wooden would not tolerate it and neither do we.

It is also often true that we are confident in some situations but not in others. To achieve confidence as part of our natural existence, we must be able to remove all insecurities and develop a sense of faith and trust in ourselves and others in all situations.
How can we work on this?

The “Personal Victory Exercise”, of course! In times of shaken confidence and negative emotions, we must go back to this practice to create the emotions that bring about the most positive, uplifting times of our lives!

Step 1

Write a brief description of five to ten of your greatest personal victories- experiences when you felt you were at your very best. Beside each description list three or four emotionally charged words that best express your feelings about personal victory.

Step 2

Create your own personal victory “anchor” ritual. Make a unique visual, auditory, and kinesthetic movement. Like smiling and rubbing your hands together and saying, “Now” or “Yes!” or the sun is shining, and you say “Go”.

Step 3

Go back to each personal victory description and visualize the event as if it were happening right now. Feel the same emotions, breathe the same, and adopt the same physiology. Fully associate the experience! When you feel your emotions surge, fire your personal victory anchor. Repeat it.

Step 4

Meet with a friend and share your personal victories with this person. Before you begin, show your personal victory anchor. When your friend sees you becoming fully associated to your personal victories, he or she can help you get back to it or remind you of what you are capable of when you are full of self-doubt later.

Step 5

Try firing your personal victory anchor when you’re in a neutral state of mind and notice the emotional impact.

Step 6

Add at least one personal victory to your list each day for thirty days! Use this and your anchor to buoy your confidence in situations where you previously doubted yourself.

Coach Wooden believed we cannot rely on “emotional peaks” in our life to help us achieve confidence. We must remain calm in our efforts to achieve greatness. We must always be willing to improve. We must always show effort (not perfection) to work toward consistent confidence.

Wooden was unwavering in what he knew to be right. A quiet confidence with unshakable faith in knowing what you are doing is right and good while remaining humble makes us a success.

Written by Leisha Clendenen