What a confidence quote can and can’t do
Here’s the honest part first. A quote is not confidence. Reading one before warm-ups won’t fix a shaky first touch. What a good quote can do is point your attention at something useful right when your head wants to go elsewhere: the last miss, the crowd, the coach with the clipboard.
That’s why we grouped these by moment, not by athlete. Pick the moment that gives you trouble, find the line that sounds like you, and turn it into a cue. It’s one small piece of mental toughness, and it pairs well with real confidence training for athletes.
One rule we kept: every quote below comes from an interview, a press piece or an athlete’s own article that we opened and read. We left out popular lines we couldn’t trace to a source, including some of the most shared ones online. These athletes are not affiliated with reset and do not endorse it.
Quotes for before a game
Nerves before a game are normal, and the best in the world say so. Few of these quotes promise calm. Most are about acting well with the nerves still there. Build your favorite into a pre-game routine.
| Quote | Athlete | Where it was said | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Most of the time before I take the mat, I just tell myself, ‘Confidence’ and ‘You have this.’” | Simone Biles, gymnastics | CNBC interview, 2016 | You need two words, not a speech |
| “I get nervous every time I walk out on the court.” | Serena Williams, tennis | US Open quotebook, 2015 | You think nerves mean you’re not ready |
| “I do struggle with self-doubt. Sometimes when I’m in a match, I do get tight and nervous. I think the difference is that great players can work through that.” | Serena Williams, tennis | US Open quotebook, 2015 | Doubt shows up mid-game |
| “Every time I step onto the mat, I just go scared. I felt the fear, but I’m not going to let it stop me from being my best.” | Jordan Burroughs, wrestling | Olympic Channel Podcast, via Olympics.com | Fear is loud and you have to go anyway |
| “I told myself I cannot change anything or fix anything. One last breath and that was it.” | Elaine Thompson-Herah, sprinting | BBC Sport, 2021, on the Tokyo 100m final | You’re in the blocks, on the line or at the plate |
| “If you let yourself think ‘What if?’ as you’re doing it, you won’t.” | Michael Jordan, basketball | ESPN The Magazine essay, 2001 | Free throws, penalty kicks, serves |
| “The last thing I do before I jump is just remind myself of how much I love sport and it’s a privilege to be in that position.” | Hamish Kerr, high jump | Quoted by Olympics.com, 2025 | Pressure has squeezed the fun out |
| “(There are) people to the side of me. But they’re not going to change how I perform or if I perform well.” | Adam Peaty, swimming | Olympic Channel Podcast, via Olympics.com | You keep watching the other team warm up |
| “I always believe I’m the best, whether I’m No. 1 or 100.” | Serena Williams, tennis | US Open quotebook, 2015 | Rankings or the lineup card get in your head |
Quotes on where confidence comes from
Read these together and a pattern jumps out. Almost nobody says confidence fell from the sky. It came from reps, preparation and having done the hard thing before. Reps are something you control.
| Quote | Athlete | Where it was said | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Confidence is based on having done it before.” | Michael Jordan, basketball | ESPN The Magazine essay, 2001 | You’re facing a moment you’ve already practiced |
| “Repetition and work and practice, over and over again, that’s ultimately what gives you confidence.” | J.J. Redick, basketball | GQ Airplane Mode interview, 2020 | You’re tempted to skip the boring reps |
| “I won’t take a shot unless I think it’s going to go in.” | J.J. Redick, basketball | GQ Airplane Mode interview, 2020 | You’re hesitating on an open look |
| “It should be scary but isn’t because of all your work you’ve done to get there.” | Alex Honnold, climbing | Olympic Channel Podcast, via Olympics.com | A big moment feels bigger than your prep |
| “You write it down, you talk it, you say it, and naturally you will believe.” | Elaine Thompson-Herah, sprinting | BBC Sport, 2021, on her affirmations list | You want to build belief before the season |
Thompson-Herah told the BBC she wrote those affirmations after every practice and read them out loud. A daily habit, not a one-time pep talk. For words that fit you, read self-talk for athletes.
Quotes for after a mistake
The play ends. The replay can stay. These help you put the last play down and pick up the next one. Pair them with how to reset after a mistake in sport.
| Quote | Athlete | Where it was said | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| “There are lessons on that page, and you can always read it back later, but when you turn the pages, that page is blank.” | Apolo Ohno, speed skating | Olympics.com interview, 2026 | You keep replaying the error |
| “The number of bars that I’ve missed in my career and in training is as many as I’ve cleared.” | Hamish Kerr, high jump | Olympics.com interview, 2025 | One miss feels like proof you’re bad |
| “When I fail, and it really hurts me, that’s a good thing because that means I still really care.” | Hamish Kerr, high jump | Olympics.com interview, 2025 | You’re upset that you’re upset |
| “Controlling them doesn’t mean just blocking them out completely. It means feeling them and acknowledging them, but also not letting them affect your performance.” | Jordan Burroughs, wrestling | Olympic Channel Podcast, via Olympics.com | You’re trying to pretend you’re not frustrated |
| “Prove to me what I’m doing wrong so I can prove to you I can do it right.” | A’ja Wilson, basketball | Nike interview, 2024 | A coach just corrected you |
| “The match is never over until you shake the opponent’s hand.” | Serena Williams, tennis | US Open quotebook, 2015 | You’re down and want to fold |
| “A win is a win, and as long as you live to survive the next day, you can always improve.” | Serena Williams, tennis | US Open quotebook, 2015 | You won ugly and can’t enjoy it |
| “I’m so thankful for this criticism because that made me better.” | Wladimir Klitschko, boxing | Olympic Channel Podcast, via Olympics.com | Someone was hard on you after a loss |
Quotes for a slump
A slump is a mistake that won’t leave. These lines are for the week when nothing goes in. The full plan is in how to get out of a slump in sports.
| Quote | Athlete | Where it was said | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| “When you’re in the middle of it, you feel like you’re never going to get out of it.” | J.J. Redick, basketball | GQ Airplane Mode interview, 2020, on a four-game shooting slump | You need to know the feeling is normal |
| “You have to take a helicopter view and get up in the clouds a little bit, and look at long-term trends.” | J.J. Redick, basketball | GQ Airplane Mode interview, 2020 | A few bad games feel like your whole season |
| “I do have my kind of down days where I think I can’t do it or I doubt myself. Everyone has them. We’re only human.” | Adam Peaty, swimming | Olympic Channel Podcast, via Olympics.com | You think doubt means you’re weak |
| “It may be difficult today. It may be difficult this season, but you’re putting in the work, and the next big breakthrough may be just around the corner.” | Kikkan Randall, cross-country skiing | Olympic Channel Podcast, via Olympics.com | The work isn’t paying off yet |
| “That’s when the game starts to be fun: When you’re not dissecting your mind anymore, and you’re dissecting your opponent instead.” | A’ja Wilson, basketball | Nike interview, 2024 | You’re overthinking every move |
How to use a quote as a cue
A quote you love is long. A cue you can use mid-game is short. Get from one to the other, then practice it until it shows up on its own.
- 01
Pick one moment, not ten
Choose the moment that costs you most: the first serve, the at-bat after a strikeout, the shift after a goal against. One moment, one quote.
- 02
Shrink it to two to four words
Ohno’s page quote becomes “turn the page.” Jordan’s becomes “no what-ifs.” Biles already did the work: “You have this.” If you can’t say it in one breath, cut it.
- 03
Attach it to an action
Say the cue while you do something physical: retie the glove strap, bounce the ball twice, tap your stick. The action triggers the words.
- 04
Rehearse it in practice, 10 reps a day
After a bad rep, run the full routine: breath, action, cue, ready position. Ten times a session for a week, so it’s automatic before a game asks for it.
- 05
Check it after games
Did you use it? Did it pull you back? If it felt fake, swap it. A cue is a tool, not a tattoo. See how to choose a mental performance cue.
| Moment | Quote it comes from | Cue | Action to pair it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free throw or serve | Jordan on “What if?” | No what-ifs | Two dribbles or two bounces |
| After a turnover | Ohno on turning the page | Turn the page | Touch your jersey number |
| Walking to the line or mat | Burroughs on going scared | Go scared | Shake out both hands |
| Before a big at-bat | Biles before the mat | You have this | Tap the plate |
| Third game of a slump | Redick on long-term trends | Big picture | Long exhale on the bench |
Practice the cue before you need it
The athletes above had their words ready before the moment came. Pick one quote today, shrink it to a cue and run it in practice this week.
That’s what reset is built for. It’s the mental training app for athletes: two minutes a day, three steps. Notice. Name. Return. Try a 2-minute reset, or join the waitlist.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good confidence quote for athletes?
A good one is short and fits your moment. Simone Biles told CNBC she tells herself “Confidence” and “You have this” before she takes the mat. That’s about as usable as a quote gets.
Are these athlete quotes real?
Yes. Each one comes from an interview, podcast write-up or article we opened, listed in the sources. We left out popular quotes we couldn’t trace to where they were said.
How do I use a quote before a game?
Shrink it to two to four words, pair it with a physical action like bouncing the ball, and rehearse it in practice after bad reps. Then use the same cue before the game.
Do confidence quotes actually work?
On their own, not much. Athletes in this list credit reps and preparation for their confidence. A quote helps when it becomes a practiced cue that pulls your attention to the next play.
Do great athletes get nervous?
Yes. Serena Williams said, “I get nervous every time I walk out on the court,” and Jordan Burroughs said he steps on the mat scared. Nerves are normal. The skill is playing well with them.
By sport
Sources and further reading
- Michael Jordan with Rick Telander. My First Time. ESPN The Magazine (2001).
- Clay Skipper. NBA sharpshooter J.J. Redick on keeping your cool under pressure. GQ (January 29, 2020).
- Mike Henson. Elaine Thompson-Herah on taming the demons en route to Tokyo gold. BBC Sport (October 20, 2021).
- A’ja Wilson on how pros overcome self-doubt. NIKE, Inc. (December 9, 2024).
- Marguerite Ward. What gold medalist Simone Biles tells herself before she takes the mat. CNBC (November 22, 2016).
- Ed Knowles. How the world’s top athletes look after their mental health (Olympic Channel Podcast compilation: Peaty, Burroughs, Honnold, Randall, Klitschko). Olympics.com (2020).
- Richard Osborn. In the mind of a champion: Serena Williams quotebook. USOpen.org (September 11, 2015).
- Grace Goulding. Hamish Kerr: The only failure is not giving 100 per cent. Olympics.com (May 15, 2025).
- Grace Goulding. Apolo Ohno on the Olympic lesson everyone needs to hear: “You have to turn the page.” Olympics.com (May 15, 2026).