self-efficacy

Also from Answers.com... Cancer Treatments Learn about current and promising cancer treatments.

A situation-specific form of self confidence. In sport, self-efficacy refers to a performer's belief that he or she can execute a behaviour required to produce a certain outcome successfully. Assuming an athlete has the potential to perform successfully and that there are sufficient incentives to do so, self-efficacy theory asserts that the quality of an actual performance will depend on the athlete's belief in his or her own competence. See also Bandura's self-efficacy theory.