Confidence Game

"You need self-confidence to think independently and to stand firm in the face of social pressure, ego, inertia, or emotion." - Shane Parrish in "Clear Thinking" 

"You can only be as successful as your belief in yourself." I've told this story before about an MVB player walking onto the court, standing tall, head up, thinking "the best player in the gym just walked in." That was her superpower. 

Believe that the next serve is landing, the next attack is a winner, the next block scores. There is a 'caveat'. Bill Parcells says, "Confidence comes from proven success." 

More athletes fail from lack of confidence than from lacking the talent to be successful.

Here are Karch Kiraly's thoughts on confidence, via ChatGPT:

🎯 Don’t Leave Anything to Chance

“There’s nothing worse than the feeling of wishing you had another chance at a play because you weren’t ready. Every athlete has those feelings to mull over, and over and over ... Don’t even expose yourself to the possibility to being caught off-guard.” volleyballadvisors.com+9flovolleyball.tv+9adamjohnsonvolleyballacademy.com+9

Kiraly emphasizes that confidence starts with thorough preparation—being mentally and physically ready so you're never wishing you had prepared more.

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🛡️ Train Hard to Play Free

“Over the years, I realized that if I'd done everything possible to prepare myself for matches and tournaments, it took a weight off my shoulders and allowed me to play without fear of losing. When you've done everything you can to train yourself for competition, you'll sleep well when the tournament is over, win or lose.” flovolleyball.tv
By putting in the work and preparation, you're freeing yourself to play confidently—regardless of the outcome.

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💪 Confidence = Mindset + Action

Kiraly’s core message? Confidence isn’t just a feeling—it’s built through preparation, self-talk, and embracing challenges. When you train hard, prepare diligently, and commit mentally, confidence becomes a byproduct—not a goal.

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🧠 How to Apply It in Your Game

1. Prep every scenario — drills, position rotations, even tough serves.

2. Own your routine — establish pre-serve or pre-rotation habits to stay grounded.

3. Positive self-talk — replace doubt with cue words like “ready” or “go”.

Prepare to be ready for every opponent's best - their best defense, best serves, and best attacks.

Lagniappe. "Self-confidence is the strength to focus on what’s right instead of who’s right. It’s the strength to face reality. It’s the strength to admit mistakes, and the strength to change your mind. Self-confidence is what it takes to be on the right side of right." - Shane Parrish in "Clear Thinking"