“Believe Anyway” What Doubting Thomas Teaches Coaches, Leaders, and Athletes About Belief

Mindset Made Simple Tip #247 - Read it at www.ssbperformance.com - Watch or listen HERE  And check out last week's Game Changers: Athlete Edition Podcast.  It's a great wone to share with parents!  iHeartRadio ApplePodcasts Youtube Podbean Spotify

 

There are a few constants in my life. I’ve always said, “no matter what, I will always work out and I will always go to church!” To be honest, there was another “I’ll always” in there years ago, but I can’t remember what it is, so I guess it wasn’t an “always.”

Well, I’m working out, but my 2nd “always” has been hit or miss lately. Swim meets, busy weekends, finding the right church…ever since the one I attended my whole life told me that I don’t represent Christ…that’s a story for another day, I haven't been consistent! But yesterday, yesterday was Easter and it was the day to get back in the swing and I am so glad I did! I heard a great message that has hits home in the world of performance, too.

It was about BELIEF! What does it take to get us to believe? If you believe what I believe, you believe that the tomb is empty…but no one saw it being emptied. We were told it would be hundreds of years before it happened, but as my cousin, Mark, said in yesterday’s message, there were no TikTok videos with graphics and captions to authenticate the Resurrection. We must believe. And it’s against our nature in so many ways to believe in things we cannot see.

Thomas, one of the Disciples, wasn’t with the others when they say Jesus after the Resurrection.

He didn’t believe. He needed to see it.

We’ve all had our “Thomas moments.”

You know, like when the scoreboard doesn’t reflect the work we’ve put in… when the recruit we believed in walks away… when the effort was there, but the outcome wasn’t… and we start asking: “Do I really believe this is going to work out?”

Just like Thomas, we doubt. We question. We wait for the evidence. We want to see and feel before we commit to belief. But belief, as Thomas eventually discovered, isn’t about perfect circumstances. It’s about choosing to trust in the middle of the unknown.

So, let’s talk about what belief really means, and why it might be the most important skill we can train in our those we lead… and ourselves.

Mark used this quote yesterday. Pastor A.W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” The same is true in performance: What comes into our minds when we think about ourselves as athletes, leaders, or coaches defines what we do next.

Belief has POWER! It affects effort and persistence. It influences how we interpret adversity. It determines whether we keep moving forward… or quit.

In fact, research in performance psychology confirms this: belief impacts outcomes even more than ability. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy tells us that belief in our ability to succeed actually raises the chance of success itself. Athletes who believe they can handle pressure perform better under it. Coaches who believe in their players change how those players see themselves.

Research shows that belief leads to greater resilience, higher motivation, more effective goal pursuit and improved focus and decreased anxiety. Belief in oneself and one’s support system contributes to a resilient response under pressure—key for athletes and coaches during adversity. Research emphasizes that belief (confidence) isn’t fluff, it’s a psychological performance enhancer that shapes perception, behavior and ultimately, outcomes.

The Easter story gives us such a powerful picture of this. Thomas didn’t believe right away, not because he was weak, but because he was human. His grief, pain and unanswered questions clouded his trust.  We, too, get clouded by grief, pain and uncertainty!

Sound familiar?  Athletes, leaders and coaches today lose belief when:

• A season falls apart after high hopes

• An injury sidelines us

• We’re betrayed by coworkers, teammates or administration

• Doubt creeps in after a string of losses or mistakes

• We don’t “see” the results of our work

Belief is hard when it feels like the tomb is still full… when the scoreboard says you failed… when there’s no highlight reel, no cheering fans and definitely no iPhone footage of Jesus walking out of the grave.

But like John in the Easter story, we’re challenged to believe even when all we see is an empty tomb, when the evidence is absence, not presence.

But how do we strengthen belief, especially when it’s hard?

It’s been a few weeks, but it’s time to come back to the tried-and-true tool of mental rehearsal. We can all imagine successful outcomes before they happen. Your brain doesn’t know the difference between real and vividly imagined experiences.

Want to build belief? See yourself doing it. Feel yourself doing it. Practice belief in your mind. As one of my athletes said today – SEE, FEEL, TRUST! That’s what she “rehearses” and writes with her bat S-F-T, before she hits. She is setting herself up for what she wants!

Anchor yourself to what you HAVE SEEN! Reflect on past wins, even small ones. Use a “Confidence Resume” or “Evidence Journal” a list of everything you've done to prepare, improve, and overcome before. When doubt says, “You can’t,” let your track record say, “I already have.”

Flip the script on doubt! Borrow from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): challenge negative thoughts and replace them with truth. Example: Doubt: “I always mess up in big moments.” Belief-builder: “I’ve succeeded in pressure moments before—and I’ve trained for this one.”

Stick to what you’ve learned in the absence! John, one of the first to the empty tomb, knew the story. And because of this, he looked into the tomb and saw nothing… and believed anyway. We can train our minds to say: “Just because I don’t see it yet doesn’t mean it’s not real. I know what I have learned. I know what I can do.” That’s belief. That’s faith. That’s courage and persistence.

Speak LIFE…out loud! We know there’s science behind self-talk. What we say matters. As Trevor Moawad said in It Takes What it Takes, “Words are tools. They predict and perpetuate our behavior.” When we talk about what we want, we’re rewiring our neural pathways. Speak what you want to believe, even before you fully feel it.

Jesus told Thomas, “You believe because you’ve seen. But blessed are those who have not seen and still believe.”

THAT'S US!  That’s the athlete grinding through rehab… the coach wondering if the culture shift is working… the leader waiting for the team to catch the vision.

We don’t always see the reward right away, but we believe anyway. Belief is not passive. It’s active. It’s brave. It’s transformational.

So, this week, ask yourself and your team: What do you believe about your ability to lead? What do you believe about your team’s resilience? What do you believe about what’s possible?

And then, live like it's true. Because if you don’t, there’s no chance of redemption!

Here’s a Mindset Made Simple Challenge: Write down three things you believe in, about yourself, your team and your future. Post it where you’ll see it every day. Read it out loud before each practice or game.

When belief is absent, be like John. Believe anyway.

When doubt creeps in, be like Thomas, ask your questions and commit. Because belief changes everything.

Manage the moments!

Julie

P.S. Thinking about next year? Let’s work together. Shoot me an email or text – juliej@ssbperformance.com or 234-206-0946 We can build a program that fits your team!

Julie Jones

Mental Performance Coach

SSB Performance

www.ssbperformance.com

juliej@ssbperformance.com • 234-206-0946