Growing up as an athlete, I was always taught that confidence was the key to success. I won’t argue that in most cases, confidence is a key factor to being successful. It is important for any competitor to be sure of themselves and their own abilities. Without pride and trust in oneself, it can be a challenge to achieve great things. However, how much confidence is too much confidence? Is there a point where too much confidence can be detrimental to success?
After the Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm fight that shocked the nation, underdog and eventual champion, Holly Holm discussed her mindset on how she mentally prepared for her fight against the Rousey, the Woman’s Bantamweight Champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship also known as the UFC.
Prior to the fight, Rousey was undefeated with an impressive 12-0 career record. Holm had less wins with a 9-0 record prior to the fight and her background was in kickboxing. The nation expected another to see a blowout, with Rousey in the driver's seat. However, Rousey was far from in control during this fight. After the fight concluded and Holm was surprisingly victorious, she said, “I don’t think you can prepare yourself if you’re not aware of what can happen.”
As an athlete, Holm realizes that while it is important to be confident and believe in your own ability, being realistic about the possibility of defeat is also important. You can't ignore the fact that other people are talented too, and if you fail to realize that anyone can be beaten on any given day, including yourself, then you may be in denial.
Rousey, on the other hand, was quoted before the fight talking about Holm and saying, “All that respect, all you being sweet I see right now it is fake and you’re gonna get it on Sunday. It’s not the first time your camp thought they had the perfect plan to beat me. I’m going to show you on Sunday why I’m the champ.” Rousey, though a capable competitor, was simply talking the talk. She was telling the nation that Holm had no chance. But would she walk the walk? In the end, she didn’t prove anything to anyone except that actions speak louder than words. During the fight, Holm overpowered Rousey in a dominating fashion from beginning to the end.
What many people often fail to realize is that there is a difference between being confident and overconfident. Confidence allows you to believe in your abilities and usually drives you to do better work. You hold yourself to a high standard because you know your potential and don’t want to fall short. However, overconfidence usually leads to arrogance and a false sense of perfection. When a person believes they cannot fail, they fail to remember that nothing is ever guaranteed. If you fail to acknowledge your competition, you will not feel the need to push yourself harder. You will feel comfortable where you are and will not reach your true potential.
Tim Duncan once said, "Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best.” Be prideful and believe in yourself, but don’t ever get to the point where your self-confidence gets in the way. If you reach a point where you think you are good enough; you will find yourself getting further and further away from your maximum potential. As athletes, and as people, we must always remember that improvement is a continual process. Don't ever be content- keep on thriving because there is always room for progress.
