Missed your chance, then got benched? 😬 That sting tells us we only value confidence—until courage shows up. Try this “Confidence vs Courage” reset after a setback: Courage over confidence. The smallest next action I can control. One gratitude I can carry into my next game. Then
“Courage over confidence” sounds nice—until you miss. We see it every match: the moment after the mistake when your language decides whether pressure spikes or stays manageable. Practice responding with courage-based words, like “Next play—go.” Not as a mantra. As a decision you
Thank you @BartHeuvingh & @AZAlkmaar for taking time to read Inspiring Young Minds.
AZ’s Academy has been one of my favorite academies in since visiting there a few years ago.
I love their philosophy around growth mindset (which I discuss in the book)
#FootballCoaching
Pressing after losing possession—while your legs are heavy—tests more than skill. Before training, we write 1 hard moment we’ll choose to face, and 1 cue we’ll use the second it hits. Then after training, we rate only our effort, not the outcome. That’s the resilience loop:
Blank in front of goal? Next time it happens, don’t label it “choking”—run a 2-minute ‘threat-to-skill’ check. If your body is in fight/flight (racing thoughts, tight breathing, doom predictions), your mental health state is driving performance. Not your talent. Not your work
ethic. Here’s the quick reset we use in 1-on-1 mindset coaching: 1) Name the threat (what your brain is warning you about) 2) Slow the breath for control 3) Switch from survival to the next action (one simple cue for the moment) Want support building that control under pressure?
“Losing the ball in midfield again?” That gut drop is exactly when our brains need a plan. Try our If–Then visualization script: Before training, pick ONE common moment (like giving it away in the middle third). Mentally replay a 10-second reset: you win it back. Then lock in the
decision: “if this happens → then I do X” (your body shape, your next pass, your press trigger). We recommend repeating daily. The goal isn’t fancy thinking—it’s automatic action when pressure hits. Want the full script we use with players? Go to https://t.co/fvfpIIjXvB
Mistake on the pitch? | Then you need a reset that beats your emotions—every single time. Try this “Confidence After Mistake” drill for the next 30 minutes of training: Every time you make a mistake, you complete a 3-part reset: (1) 2 breaths to drop arousal (2) one cue word
(“next play”) (3) a one-step action toward the task (e.g., shoulder check + first touch) Post it with: “Confidence isn’t the absence of mistakes—it's your reset speed.” Because the teams that win runs don’t avoid errors. They recover faster—and keep their body playing before
You’re not failing the goal… you’re failing the review.
Footballers don’t usually miss because the target was “wrong.” They miss because they never correct fast enough.