I don’t think we know the exact science behind what makes some people more confident than others, but we do know certain components of it.

Why did Jordan, Montana, Gretzky, and Reggie always want to be in the spotlight during the big moments? It seemed when they came through in the clutch they weren’t surprised, but when they didn’t they were amazed. Why? They expected to win.

Why do some have it and most don’t? Like I wrote earlier; I don’t think we exactly know. A lot has to do with individual personalities. I do know there is one contributing factor we can control to give us greater confidence at the big moments…preparation.

I bet Peyton Manning is stunned that the ball was intercepted and his team lost. Why? He was prepared to win. He lived the moments in his head a thousand times. He saw every defense they could possibly throw and he was prepared. So when most fail due to nerves, lack of confidence, and preparation, the elite are dumbfounded because they expect to win.

Why is preparation so important? It not only makes you more confident when you have taken the time to prepare for the “big game” or moment, but you have also developed muscle memory. Muscle memory allows you to deliver the skills at a high and unconscious level. In other words, you can perform the skill without thinking about it.

Preparation allows you to make immediate and correct adjustments to any situation. If option A isn’t available and option B is not great, you can quickly go to option C. Great players that are prepared know this and can make this decision in an instant.

Even though we may not be able to make every athlete have the cold-blooded confidence and killer instincts of Michael Jordan, we can teach them that preparation creates greater confidence.