Talk Like a Champion: Mastering the Art of Confident Self-Talk

Master Your Self-Talk: The Ultimate Guide to Boosting Confidence with P3 Thinking

What if the voice inside your head was your biggest fan instead of your harshest critic? In this episode of Confident Calm Clutch Car Ride Conversations, host Valerie Alston explores the powerful, yet often overlooked tool of self-talk to boost confidence. She introduces the P3 method—Purposeful, Productive, and Possibility-focused thinking—to train your inner voice to be your best teammate. Learn practical strategies like the AIR Technique (Awareness, Interruption, Replacement) to reshape your internal dialogue and improve mental toughness, resilience, and confidence. Whether you're a parent or a young athlete, this episode provides actionable insights to perform your best in any situation. Tune in to transform your self-talk and build lifelong skills, one car ride at a time.

00:00 Introduction to Self-Talk for Confidence

01:42 The P3 Approach: Purposeful, Productive, and Possibility Focused Thoughts

04:38 Effective Self-Talk Strategies: The AIR Technique

07:47 Proactive Self-Talk: Training Your Brain

10:00 Affirmations and Positive Self-Talk

13:16 Parental Support: Encouraging Productive Thoughts

15:15 Discussion Prompts and Final Thoughts

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Discussion questions:

1. What kind of things do you say to yourself during a game or practice? Would you say those same things to a teammate?
2. Can you come up with one “anchor phrase” that helps you refocus when things aren’t going well?
3. How do you think your self-talk changes when you're confident vs. when you’re struggling?
4. As a parent, how can I model or reinforce positive self-talk for you?

Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go.

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For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology

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