I coach a running group here in Tulsa. Many of these runners are running in their first half marathon this coming weekend. They raced 6.55 miles 5 weeks ago, 9.3 miles 3 weeks ago and Sunday they race 13.1 miles.
Six months ago most of them had not run a mile, much less 13. They started training for a 5k with runs that lasted 1 minute followed by 3 minutes of walking. It wore them out. They had little confidence they could do it but they tried anyway. And they did it. And they have continued to do it. That is confidence based on training and experience. It is a well grounded confidence that they have and that I have for them.
They are trained to have multiple goals. They have their optimal goal; their best case scenario. They have the goal they can adapt to; the goal that says everything is not optimal and I am going to adapt WITHOUT judging myself. Then they have the worst case goal; the goal that says nothing at all is going as it is suppose to and I am just going to finish this damn race no matter what. They don’t lose their confidence, they adapt their confidence.
So, what is the difference between true confidence and false confidence? After all, no one can see the future so how can we be confident about anything, whether true or false, right? True confidence is based on training and experience and is willing to adapt. False confidence is based on a wishful desire and is unwilling to adapt.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily.
Quote by Anonymous.