Courage to Confidence

When I dislocated my shoulder in 2012, my first thought was to get surgery as quick as possible and get back to snatching and doing muscle ups. 
Some may call that crazy, but it was just my desire. I wanted it. I was confident I could get back to doing the things that brought me happiness. 

But that confidence and being able to do those things didn't come naturally or easily. At first I couldn't do them and wasn't confident with them. But confidence doesn't come first, courage does. 

Gaining confidence in movements like the snatch, clean and jerk, kipping pull-up or any other complex movement first comes from you being courageous enough to try it. 

You did that when you first walked through the door, and when you first joined. When movements were completely new and foreign to you. When it took baby steps to just learn how to jump, kip swing, or partially squat. You had enough courage to come through the doors and learn. 

That was the first step to confidence.

The second step is repetition. Be courageous over and over and over again. Over time it will take less courage to do the same thing - confidence can build and take over. 

This is where you feel comfortable, capable and successful. 

However, even with repetition, you may not gain complete confidence. 
How do the people that make it look easy, that do the most challenging movements, and that are constantly improving, do it? 

They want it and own it. 
They own their decision to be courageous and try, and try and try. 
And it's through that trying that confidence builds and improvements happen. 
But if you never own it,  if you never step into confidence, you'll never be confident.

The opportunities that test your courage are the same that will build confidence. They are constantly coming at you. Opportunities to take a chance, attempt something you haven't before and do something you never have (of course that are safe for you to try.) 
Your decision to try is what will build your confidence and abilities to new heights, or leave you having to try and just be courageous. 

No one can be courageous or confident for you. They can encourage, provide opportunity, even provoke, but ultimately it's on you. You have to decide if you are going to be tenacious in the pursuit of your goals. You aren't in the back seat of your life. You're the driver. Your the one that determines your direction. 

Wherever you know you need to be courageous, be it.
Try. 
Without judgement or complaining, just give your best effort. 
When an opportunity comes to try something new, do a little more, work a little harder, or step up and do the challenging thing, do it with eagerness. 

Courage may be what you need now, and confidence is what you will get.