Dealing with the doubters

Have you ever had someone doubt your ability—and felt it seep into your game / performance?

Every athlete, from beginners to pros, hears outside opinions. What matters is how you respond.

Three truths:

(1) People will doubt you.

(2) You can’t control their opinions.

(3) You can choose not to buy into it.

Take Serena Williams for example; Across decades she was scrutinised for everything from her body to her right to dominate. Her response? Treat the noise as fuel and double-down on preparation and belief. She’s spoken about how criticism made her stronger—and her results spoke louder than headlines.

Try these four habits when the chatter gets loud:

• Turn doubt into fuel: set a clear training target and let the negativity power today’s reps.

• Control the controllables: effort, preparation, recovery, mindset.

• Build your support bubble: teammates, coaches, family who remind you of evidence, not opinions.

• Check the facts: review your stats, progress notes and small wins to reality-check the narrative.

Bottom line: the only opinion that must carry weight on game day is your own.

Choose responses that protect confidence, keep you present, and help you perform under pressure.