If you’re watching the Olympics this year, or have watched in the past, you’ve probably wondered how the top athletes in the world bolster themselves emotionally for high-stress situations, being exposed and visible to millions of viewers in difficult moments, and how they deal with failure and defeat and become resilient.

Dr. Cindra Kamphoff, whose MD-level background in sports psychology, two decades of work with professional and Olympic athletics, and The High Performance Mindset podcast, has developed techniques that are helpful to people inside or outside of the sports arena.

Her mental performance training begins months or even years before the Olympics. She typically supports athletes during the Olympics by phone or Zoom. “After the Olympics, we debrief,” she says. “We evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and how to grow from the experience. Then we reset goals and begin preparing for the next competition. Confidence and mental performance are ongoing processes, not event-specific interventions.”

Many people I know have issues with their lack of confidence when they face a job interview, make public appearances, address audiences, or even go on dates. Dr. Kamphoff identifies ways to build self-confidence that seem to me to be applicable in many situations.

Setting clear goals with a plan to achieve them. Athletes cannot control outcomes like making it to the podium as a winner—but they can control effort, focus, attitude, and execution. When athletes become overly outcome-focused, motivation and confidence decline. Confidence grows when attention is placed on controllables.

Ensuring you’re always prepared. Preparation builds earned confidence and quiets doubt.........

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