Doubt is in your Mind!

“Faith is important because it quiets the voice of doubt inside your head. Unless you quiet self-doubt, you cannot become immersed.” (page 42)

This is not only a quotation that can be used for an athlete to enhance his/her performance in sports, but it is also a great phrase which can be applied to life. This quotation says that without having faith in yourself you are always questioning yourself and will never be the best you can be. Another reason this quotation is significant is because without faith in yourself how are you supposed to have faith in others, if you can’t have faith in yourself.

Robert M. Nideffer, the author of Psyched to Win, put this quotation in italics because he wanted to show his reader that it was distinct from the rest of the text. This is an example of the author’s writing style because throughout his text he includes italicized insightful quotations. The italics let the reader know that these passages differ from the rest of the text in the book and they are meant to be read as separate from the main content of the text. Also, it gives the reader a good indication of what is going on in the next few pages. The italics are used to drive his point by and really make you understand what he is trying to get across to his reader.

I chose this quote because I could relate to it. When I read over it, instantly thoughts of my past performance in sports and academics came flooding to my mind. I thought about how when I have doubted myself, or my skills in certain areas, I have always done worse than when I have confidence in myself. The doubt in your mind makes you question if you can do something and this makes you more nervous, which gives you anxiety that you don’t need if you are in a critical situation such as a test or a championship game.