self-confidence

n.
Confidence in oneself or one's own abilities: "Without self-confidence we are as babes in the cradle" (Virginia Woolf). See synonyms at confidence.

self-confident self'-con'fi·dent adj.
self-confidently self'-con'fi·dent·ly adv.

A person's belief that he or she can succeed. Self-confidence is usually specific to particular tasks, but some people seem to display it in a wide range of activities. In sport, it has long been thought of as an important determinant of performance. It tends to be self-generating: confident athletes set themselves difficult training goals and persevere until they have achieved them. This generates feelings of competence which reinforce their confidence. Sport psychologists refer to situation-specific self-confidence as self-efficacy. According to one theory (Bandura's self-efficacy theory), self-efficacy is enhanced by four main factors: successful performances; vicarious experience; verbal persuasion (including praise and encouragement); and arousal (see catastrophe theory).

In training, you can enhance your self-confidence in the following ways:

• SET APPROPRIATE GOALS. Break down long-term goals into short-term, attainable goals so as to maximize feelings of success
• VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE OF SUCCESS. Imagine yourself performing the target activities perfectly to maximize the vicarious experience of success (see also visualization)
• VERBAL ENCOURAGEMENT. Use positive self-talk, by verbally encouraging yourself (e.g. with phrases such as ‘This is a great session; I'm doing really well today…’) to reinforce feelings of self-confidence.

noun

A firm belief in one's own powers: aplomb, assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-possession. See attitude/good attitude/bad attitude/neutral attitude, belief/unbelief.

n

Definition: self assurance
Antonyms: diffidence, unsureness

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A person's belief that he or she has the ability to succeed. Athletes who are self-confident and expect to succeed often do succeed. See also self-efficacy.

Quotes:

"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." - Arthur Ashe

"The history of the world is full of men who rose to leadership, by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery and tenacity." - Mahatma Gandhi

"Self-confidence is the result of a successfully survived risk." - Jack Gibb

"Those who believe that they are exclusively in the right are generally those who achieve something." - Aldous Huxley

"A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity." - Lazarus Long

"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything." - Lord Melbourne

See more famous quotes about Self-confidence