Belief in Your Abilities

One of the most important mental skills an athlete can develop is their belief in their ability to improve. This belief is the foundation of a growth mindset—a concept made popular by psychologist Carol Dweck. A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and intelligence are not fixed traits, but rather can be developed through dedication, effort, and learning from mistakes. Athletes who embrace this mindset are more resilient, more adaptable, and often more successful in the long run.

A perfect example of this mindset in action is Tom Brady. Coming out of college, Brady was overlooked—picked 199th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. Not many believed in his potential, but Tom never doubted his capacity to grow. He once said:

"You have to believe in yourself and your abilities."

This belief wasn’t just motivational fluff—it fueled him through years of tireless work, constant learning, and overcoming obstacles. Brady’s relentless belief in growth helped him win seven Super Bowl championships and become one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

Another powerful example is Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. Before 1954, the world believed it was humanly impossible. Bannister didn’t. He trained with purpose, visualized success, and broke the barrier that had stood for decades.

After the race, he said:

“The human spirit is indomitable. No one can ever say you must not run faster than this or jump higher than that.”

And once he did it, others followed. What had once been a mental ceiling was shattered—because belief changed. Athletes stopped limiting themselves and started seeing new possibilities.

On the flip side, a fixed mindset—the belief that your abilities are set and unchangeable—leads to fragile confidence. Athletes with this mindset often shy away from challenges and give up easily. They may avoid tough competition to protect their ego. But confidence built on belief in growth is different—it’s stable and enduring. It fuels effort, encourages resilience, and opens the door to progress.

Believing that abilities can be developed through hard work, feedback, and persistence is one of the most powerful mental skills you can build. Brady and Bannister didn’t get to the top because they were born better. They got there because they believed they could get better.

This is Mental Strength.

Player

Things to Do:

• Use identity statements like “I am a player who gets better every day.”

• Keep a growth journal where you track daily or weekly improvements.

• Review past challenges you overcame to remind yourself of your ability to grow.

Things to Avoid:

• Don’t define yourself by your current skill level or a bad performance.

• Don’t compare your timeline of progress to others around you.

• Avoid saying “I’m just not good at that.” Instead, say “I’m not good at it yet.”

Parent

Things to Do:

• Encourage effort and progress instead of only outcomes.

• Use growth-oriented language: “You worked hard and it showed.”

• Reinforce that mistakes are learning opportunities, not identity markers.

Things to Avoid:

• Don’t label your child as “a natural” or “not talented” in certain areas.

• Avoid comparing your child’s performance to other athletes or teammates.

• Don’t overreact to losses or bad games—they’re a part of growth.

Coach

Things to Do:

• Design practices that challenge players to improve—not just perform.

• Praise process and perseverance over pure talent.

• Use language that reinforces development: “You’re improving,” “You’re learning,” “You’re growing.”

Things to Avoid:

• Don’t only highlight or reward results—this creates fixed mindset pressure.

• Avoid writing off athletes as “not coachable” or “just not built for this.”

• Don’t allow players to opt out of hard drills due to fear of failure—help them push through.