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The Confident Athlete Series Presents…

The Confident Athlete:

A 14-Day Plan for

Ultimate Self-Confidence

by

Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2006-2010 by Peak Performance Sports, LLC.

& Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

No part of this book maybe reproduced in any form

without written permission from the publisher.

Published by Peak Performance Sports, LLC

7380 Sand Lake Road PMB 5012

Orlando, FL 32819

407-909-1700

Website: www.peaksports.com

Cohn, Patrick J., 1960-

The Confident Athlete: A 14-Day Plan for Ultimate Self-Confidence

1. Sports (Self-Confidence, Peak Performance)—psychological aspects.

http://www.peaksports.com/

The Confident Athlete - Workbook

© 2006 - 2010 Peak Performance Sports, LLC. www.peaksports.com

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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 3 DAY 1 ................................................................................................................... 6 Understanding Confidence: The Key to Success .................................................. 6 DAY 2: ................................................................................................................ 11 How to Recognize When Confidence Dwindles .................................................. 11 DAY 3: ................................................................................................................ 14 Boosting Confidence with a Confidence Resume ............................................... 14 DAY 4: ................................................................................................................ 17 Proactive Confidence on Game Day ................................................................... 17 DAY 5: ................................................................................................................ 20 Confidence and Your Precompetition Warm Up Routine .................................... 20 DAY 6: ................................................................................................................ 24 Identifying Limiting Beliefs that Destroy Confidence ........................................... 24 DAY 7: ................................................................................................................ 29 How Perfectionism Undermines Confidence ....................................................... 29 DAY 8: ................................................................................................................ 34 5 Steps to Seeing Yourself as a Winner ............................................................. 34 DAY 9: ................................................................................................................ 37 Talk Yourself into More Confidence .................................................................... 37 DAY 10: .............................................................................................................. 40 Knocking Doubts Out: Reframes for Confidence ................................................ 40 DAY 11: .............................................................................................................. 43 Expect the Unexpected: Advanced Coping Strategies ........................................ 43 DAY 12: .............................................................................................................. 46 Remaining Tough in the Face of Adversity ......................................................... 46 DAY 13: .............................................................................................................. 51 Getting Psyched Up, Not Psyched Out: Intimidation ........................................... 51 DAY 14: .............................................................................................................. 55 Patience is a Virtue of the Confident Athlete ....................................................... 55 New Beginning .................................................................................................... 59 Taking Confident Action – My Commitment Contract ......................................... 60



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The Confident Athlete:

A 14-Day Plan for Ultimate Self-Confidence

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to The Confident Athlete: A 14-Day Plan for Ultimate Self-

Confidence. Self-confidence is THE NUMBER ONE ASSET that separates

great athletes from the rest of the pack. Athletes CANNOT reach true athletic

potential without massive amounts of confidence in their game(s) and

abilities. Most athletes who seek my services do so because they desire to

know how to improve confidence; have a “fragile” state of confidence; or

their confidence has been challenged by a difficult experience or encounter.

The Confident Athlete represents everything I teach my individual students

and teams to help them improve and develop massive amounts of confidence

quickly and maintain it over the long term. I share all of my insights, hold

nothing back and teach my system for learning ultimate self-confidence to

any athlete serious about improving his or her confidence!

“A motto and philosophy that I have really stressed is [SIC];; you’ve

got to believe in yourself. Self confidence is without a doubt the first

step to success.”

~ Tommy Lasorda, Baseball Manager, Hall of Fame

Confidence is important for every athlete. However, understanding how you

can develop confidence daily is the most relevant approach to boosting your

confidence. What I have learned through working with athletes at all levels is

that athletes must take responsibility for improving confidence just like they

work at developing a perfect backhand, pitch, swing, stroke and so forth.

Athletes must also have a clear understanding about the beliefs, thoughts,

and expectations that consistently undermine confidence.



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Confidence development is a two part package. In one respect, athletes need

to focus on their strengths and maintain confident-enhancing thoughts about

their sport even in the face of adversity. And, in another respect, athletes

must understand how to identify the beliefs, thoughts or expectations that

undermine or hold back their confidence.

HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM Each day you are given specific tasks to complete to help you build

confidence. At the end of 14 days, you should be on your way to ultimate

confidence, but it is important to keep up the strategies I share with you far

beyond 14 days to gain the most benefit from the program.

Each day of the 14-day program is divided into sections of various tasks

which you should complete. To gain the most confidence from each daily

booster, you should complete all the tasks each day.

In addition to the daily tasks, use the audio program that came with The

Confident Athlete to help guide you through your confidence program each

day. Listen to the audio for Day 1 and then complete the workbook exercises

before proceeding to the Day 2 audio.

See Table 1 on the following page for a description of each section for each

day of the 14-day program.



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TABLE 1. The Section Descriptions in Each Daily Program

Section Description

WARM UP An introduction to get you ready for the

upcoming daily confidence task.

CONFIDENCE CLIP Examples of athletes who apply this task.

DAILY OBJECTIVE The objective of the daily confidence

boost.

DAILY CONFIDENCE BOOST

The main confidence task you will need

to complete and apply to your routine,

practice, warm-up, etc.

ENERGIZE YOUR CONFIDENCE

A short relaxation, guided imagery, and

daily confidence confirmation or

affirmations.

TAKE CONFIDENT ACTION Action plans to help you put the plan into

play and apply it.

CONFIDENCE SCOREBOARD A measure of how well you are applying

the daily task.

NOTES SECTION An area to take additional notes in the

workbook.

Note: begin day 1 audio starting on the next page – Understanding

Confidence: The Key to Success.



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DAY 1

Understanding Confidence: The Key to Success

WARM UP My definition of self-confidence is how firmly you believe in your ability to

execute a physical skill or perform a task. That’s right--confidence is how

much YOU believe in YOUR ability. Confidence is derived from a baseline

assessment of past performances, training, and preparation. As your

competency or skill mastery grows, your confidence becomes proportionately

stronger. You can also derive confidence from the belief that you are

physically talented, which mirrors the definition of confidence—“A feeling of

assurance, especially of self-assurance” (Source: Dictionary.com). Successful

training and quality practice both help to create a strong sense of self-

confidence.

CONFIDENCE CLIP When asked about his confidence, 2005 Indy 500 Champion, Dan Wheldon

stated that his confidence comes from many areas in racing, not just from a

belief in his ability. He also said that confidence comes from the people

around you and how well your race equipment is functioning. In sports, such

as auto racing, the performance of the car can either improve or detract from

the racers level of confidence.

“Certainly confidence not only comes from yourself, I think it comes

from the people around you and their attitude towards you. It also

comes from how your car is acting. Certainly when you have a lot of

confidence you can drive the car more on the edge than perhaps

someone who is not confident.”

~Dan Wheldon, 2005 Indianapolis 500 Champion



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DAY ONE OBJECTIVE To understand the concept of self-confidence, what it is, and how to tap into

your personal sources of confidence – or how you gain personal confidence.

DAILY CONFIDENCE BOOST This exercise is designed to help you improve your awareness of how you

gain confidence. You must understand which sources of confidence you can

control in your sport to tap into these areas to maximize your confidence

program.

Rank the following areas (from 1-10) in which you derive your confidence. If

you have other sources not listed here, please use those also using the

margin of the page or on a separate sheet of paper if necessary.

Table 2. Sources of Confidence for Athletes

Sources of Confidence Sources of Confidence

Past success in your sport

An effective training program

Immediate performance

Positive comments from others

Supportive people in your life

Training or quality practice

Quality coaching

Optimistic coaching

Belief in your physical talent

Your method or technique

The quality of your equipment

Level of your competition

Warm Up routine

Comfortable with environment

Mental preparation

Study and preparation

(reviewing film)

Mental game coaching

Coping well under pressure

Good teamwork

Positive rapport with teammates

Positive rapport with coach

Trust in teammates

Sports diet

Fitness level or conditioning

Other sports you played

Ideal weather conditions

Game plan or strategy



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Using the workspace below, please rank the top 10 sources of confidence in

order from 1-10 (using Table 2 above).

Table 3. Exercise: Rank Your Sources of Confidence

(How you gain confidence)

Rank Your Sources of Confidence

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

ENERGIZE YOUR CONFIDENCE You will be guided through a short period of relaxation (an abdominal

breathing exercise) followed by a simple guided mental imagery exercise. In

addition, you will repeat the following affirmations to yourself three times

during the guided imagery exercise.

1. “I am in control of my level of confidence and how I gain confidence.”

2. “I choose to be confident in my ability regardless of external conditions

or amount of luck.”

3. “No matter what others say or do – my success is the outcome of my

actions.”



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TAKING CONFIDENT ACTION Note that a few sources of confidence are under your control, such as your

training. Whereas other sources are not within your control, such as the skill

level of your opponents. The key is to focus on what you can control to boost

your confidence. Redo your list above and be sure to use the top 5 sources of

confidence that are under your control or influence. Another hint: what

people say to you about your performance is not under your control.

Table 4. My Top 5 Sources of Confidence I Control

Top 5 Ways My Confidence Improves

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

DAY 1 CONFIDENCE SCOREBOARD You can use the confidence scoreboard everyday after you complete the daily

tasks to test your understanding and application of the concepts.

(Remember: be as honest as possible to gain the most from the program!)

From time to time, you can also review how well you are accomplishing the

daily tasks by referring back to this scorecard. Using the table below, please

rate your performance (circle the number for each item; 10 being more

positive than negative and 1 being more negative than positive) on the

following tasks:


© 2006 - 2010 Peak Performance Sports, LLC.! www.peaksports.com

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(circle the number for each item; 10 being more positive than negative and 1

being more negative than positive) on the following tasks:

Positive Scorecard Negative I know how I gain confidence (10) (9) (8) (7) (6) (5) (4) (3) (2) (1) I don’t know how I

gain confidence I control my confidence level (10) (9) (8) (7) (6) (5) (4) (3) (2) (1) I don’t control my

confidence level I understand what I can’t control (10) (9) (8) (7) (6) (5) (4) (3) (2) (1) I am unsure what is

beyond my control I understand what confidence really is (10) (9) (8) (7) (6) (5) (4) (3) (2) (1) I don’t understand

what confidence is

You have just completed Day 1 of this 14-Day workbook. To purchase the entire Confident Athlete workbook and CD visit: http://www.peaksports.com/The_Confident_Athlete.php

To preview all of the programs in The Confident Athlete series visit: http://www.peaksports.com/confident_athlete_series.php

Below you will find a list of descriptions of The Confident Athlete series in addition to other sports psychology programs we offer…

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAMS BY PEAK PERFORMANCE SPORTS, LLCINSTILLING CONFIDENCE FOR A COMPETITION EDGE

THE CONFIDENT ATHLETE: A 14-DAY PLAN FOR ULTIMATE SELF-CONFIDENCE“The Confi dent Athlete” is a groundbreaking system to teach you how to think like a champion and have ultimate self-confi dence every time you step on the playing fi eld, court, track, or course. Ideal for any athlete or coach, this CD and workbook program consists of 14 days or sessions of confi dence-fueling exercises and strategies to overcome self-doubt and other confi dence killers. A simple-to-follow workbook helps you apply the strategies and customizes the exercises to your personal needs.

Two Audio CDs & 68 Page Workbook $89.00 US

THE FOCUSED ATHLETE: A 14-DAY PLAN FOR SUPERIOR CONCENTRATIONLearn how to harness the power of zone concentration in sports. If you become distracted during competition or can’t refocus, this program is perfect for you. You get 14 days or sessions of concentration-boosting exercises and a simple-to-follow 63-page workbook that guides you through each day and helps you apply the strategies. The workbook helps you customize the exercises to your specifi c challenges and needs. You learn all of Dr. Cohn’s focusing strategies in a step-by-step easy-to-apply mental training program!Two Audio CDs & 63 Page Workbook $89.00 US

THE COMPOSED ATHLETE: A 14-DAY PLAN FOR MAXIMUM COMPOSURE“The Composed Athlete” is perfect for any athlete who wants to learn how to stay cool, calm, and collected during crunch-time. Includes a step-by-step system for gaining maximum emotional control, how to cope with mistakes, and perform well, especially under pressure. Dr. Cohn shares his secrets about maintaining full composure and explains why breakdowns hold athletes back from peak performance. The workbook helps you customize the exercises to your specifi c challenges and needs. Learn how to develop a mindset so you can thrive even under high pressure.

Two Audio CDs & 63 Page Workbook $89.00 US

THE FEARLESS ATHLETE: A 14-DAY PLAN FOR UNBEATABLE TRUST“The Fearless Athlete” CD program helps any athlete overcome the mental handcuffs of perfectionism and fear of failure. You learn how to take your practice game to competition with unbeatable trust when performing, a key to achieving peak performance in sports. You’ll learn how to trust your skills in a step-by-step practical workbook – in just 15 minutes a day! Dr. Cohn helps you overcome the disadvantages of perfectionism and perform more freely in competition in this 14-day step-by-step mental training program!Two Audio CDs & 78 Page Workbook $89.00 US

WWW.PEAKSPORTS.COM

THE RELAXED ATHLETE: A 14-DAY PLAN FOR OPTIMAL MENTAL PREPARATIONIf pregame jitters, anxiety, or fear prevent you from experiencing a relaxed performance, “The Relaxed Athlete” CD program is perfect for you. In addition, you learn Dr. Cohn’s top mental preparation strategies for competition. With these two programs combined in one, you not only learn how to develop a focused and confi dent pre-competition routine, but you also learn the secrets to a poised and relaxed mindset. Includes 14 days of mental preparation workbook exercises that you can apply to your sport. Get three premium bonuses that you can download immediately!Two Audio CDs & 68 Page Workbook $89.00 US

THE CONFIDENT ATHLETE CD AND WORKBOOK SERIES

WWW.PEAKSPORTS.COM

THE GOLFER’S MENTAL EDGE: AN 8-WEEK PLAN FOR ULTIMATE GOLF CONFIDENCEThe “Golfer’s Mental Edge” CD and Workbook program is ideal for any amateur, collegiate, junior, tour professional golfer, golf coach or instructor. This program is perfect for high-level golfers who want to improve their mental game, performance and consistency by learning the secrets to better focus, confi dence, and composure in competition. Dr. Cohn teaches you the top eight golf psychology sessions he teaches his personal students to give you the mental game edge and improve consistency on the course. You’ll also eavesdrop as Dr. Cohn teaches four golfers his top mental game strategies.

Eight Audio CD & Workbook Program $399 US

TENNIS CONFIDENCE PROGRAM: MENTAL TOUGHNESS FOR TOURNAMENT PLAYERS“Tennis Confi dence” is an ideal program for any tennis player. You learn how to overcome a lack of focus, low self-confi dence, and other mental game obstacles when you play in matches. In Tennis Confi dence CD program, Dr. Cohn guides you through proven and practical mental game strategies to overcome most mental barriers, take your practice game to tournaments, and boost your tennis confi dence. Learn how to take control of your confi dence, focus your best, and win more close matches. Four CDs and a step-by-step workbook guides your through each session of the program.Four Audio CD & Workbook Program $299 US

INSTILLING CONFIDENCE FOR BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PLAYERS: A 7-DAY PLAN FOR COACHESBaseball and softball coaches learn seven days of proven confi dence-boosting strategies guaranteed to drastically build their team’s self-confi dence, improve sports performance, and stop self-doubt instantly. You’ll discover the secret to stable, long-lasting confi dence in baseball or softball and how your players can keep supreme levels of confi dence all the time. You’ll learn real-life tested mental game strategies that can build your players’ confi dence easily--and quickly uncover what attitudes destroy confi dence. A manual for coaches and 16 worksheet exercises are included along with six special bonuses. Audio CD & Coaches’ Manual $79 US

MENTAL PREPARATION FOR EQUESTRIANS: MANAGING PRE-SHOW JITTERS AND PERFORMING YOUR BEST IN THE RINGYou’ll learn how to prepare mentally before competition, cope better with preshow jitters, manage preshow expectations that cause stress, stop over-coaching yourself, trust in your abilities and your horse, and how to focus on what’s important to your performance instead of thinking ahead about results. You’ll get a 70-minute CD program that walks you through six sessions teaching you how to prepare mentally before showing, six worksheet exercises to help you ingrain the lessons in the CD, and four bonuses to help improve your mental game including an interview with Olympic Equestrian Chris Kappler who shares his mental preparation secrets.Audio CD and Worksheets $69 US

ARM PUMP SOLVED: MENTAL STRATEGIES FOR MOTOCROSS RACERSMotocross racers learn the top four mental breakdowns that can cause arm pump, why some theories about arm pump are dead wrong, how to fuel your self-confi dence before each moto so you can get on the podium, and how to race with freedom and composure. This CD program also includes six mental strategies to help you race your best -- free of tension and anxiety. Get a step-by-step prerace mental preparation routine to help you get into a confi dent, focused, and relaxed state of mind when the gate drops.Audio CD and Prerace Routine $69 US

SPORTS-SPECIFIC PRODUCTS AND PROGRAMS

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