A Tip for Building Confidence

When talking to people about positive mental golf, one of the most frequently asked questions I hear is, "How can I develop more confidence?" There's no doubt about it that confidence is the anchor of a strong mindset that supports a great game. What a lot of people don't realize is that there are a lot of facets to confidence. In other words, it is affected by numerous other mental skills and practices. One of these practices is the tendency to focus on what is right or what is wrong with your game. The frequent attention on what you are doing wrong with your swing or other aspects of your game can be distracting and actually interfere with the confidence you so desire. While a desire for change and improvement is good, a strong and frequent orientation on what is wrong will actually interfere with the flow and development of confidence. On the road to improvement, it's helpful to keep thoughts oriented on the positive, i.e. what you are doing right, so that you can think and build upon this. To get started, think of five key things that you do well in relation to your swing and your game. When you are playing, remind yourself of these things, especially before a pressure shot or after making a poor swing or a mistake (or when stuck in a prolonged "rut" of poor playing). Do this practice of reminding yourself of your strengths on a regular basis, blending in periodic thoughts of what would be helpful to improve. This is actually a practice that is beneficial for any golfer to do, not just those getting started in using mental golf. It is something that I continue to do to keep me on track (or to get me back on track if I have veered off in the midst of some less-than-desirable playing). Here's an example of the points that are part of my mental "go to" list for building and maintaining confidence:

- I have good talent on and around the green.
- I am a focused competitor.
- I know to always return to my basic swing keys.
- I allow myself to swing the club (not force with extra effort)
- I am a very good iron player

If you don't have a mental "go to" list for supporting your confidence, it's a good idea to put one together now and start referring to it regularly. It's another tool in your mental golf "toolbox" that will help to strengthen your mindset and your game.

Here's to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder,
TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com