‘We’ve got the Answers to the Test…’
Do Your Athletes ‘Trust Their Training’ Like They Already Have the Answers to the Test?
As teams approach crucial games that will define their season—whether lifting a trophy or facing elimination—the need to instill confidence and belief has never been higher. Players, coaches, and staff have poured countless hours preparing for this moment, both physically and mentally. Now, the priority is making each athlete feel “10-feet tall and bulletproof.”
Adrenaline, a gift humans have relied on for survival for thousands of years, is our natural “energy drink” in high-stakes situations. It’s what fuels us in critical moments, but it can also turn into anxiety if left unchecked. As adrenaline (and likely anxiety) rises, the final words from a coach should be simple yet powerful: "Trust your training."
These words aren’t merely motivational; they represent the culmination of every practice, every drill, and every rep that has prepared these athletes for this very moment.
What Does it Mean to ‘Trust Your Training’?
Trusting your training involves letting go of the need to analyze every move and instead allowing your instincts and preparation to guide you. This is often referred to as the "flow state." To better understand this concept, it's important to dispel a common misconception in sports: that athletes always make quick, deliberate decisions. In fact, elite performance is about split-second reactions that stem from extensive preparation.
The Difference Between Decision-Making and Reaction
Top athletes aren’t making decisions in the heat of competition; they’re reacting. These reactions happen in less than a half-second and stem from their endless hours in training. A true trusting mindset enables athletes to act instinctively, avoiding the trap of “paralysis by analysis.” Once trained for a situation, the body and mind respond almost automatically, without interference from overthinking or hesitation.
Few athletes illustrate this principle better than Tom Brady, who experienced firsthand how deep preparation leads to true confidence. Reflecting on his time with the New England Patriots, Brady shared, “We were the opposite of tight on the nights before games. We were so prepared for every situation that we had the answers to the test.” He explained, “The quarterbacks and offensive coordinator met the night before, and we would go through all 150 plays on the call sheet. I could answer any and every question about every play. If we call an outside run to the left, but they roll their safety down, I will check to another play. When you’re this prepared, you can go into games relaxed, knowing you will respond accordingly.” For Brady, confidence wasn’t just a feeling but the product of painstaking preparation.
The Two Mindsets: Training and Trusting
To grasp the meaning of "Trust Your Training," it’s important to consider two key mindsets that every athlete should cultivate: the Training Mindset and the Trusting Mindset. For elite athletes like Brady, mastering the ability to switch between these mindsets is essential for performing well under pressure. Understanding how to flip the switch from a training to a trusting mode can greatly increase confidence.
Training Mindset
The training mindset is focused, intentional, and skill-based. In this mode, athletes work deliberately on techniques, drills, and performance mechanics. Coaches provide feedback, refine skills, and guide athletes through countless repetitions of plays and drills until they become second nature. This process builds competence and requires a methodical approach along with relentless effort. In training sessions, if something is not up to standard, the coach will say, "Run it again." Athletes should embrace corrections, knowing they are developing positive habits and muscle memory.
2. Trusting Mindset
In contrast, the trusting mindset occurs when athletes step onto the field ready to perform without focusing on technique or execution. They trust that all their training has embedded the necessary skills deep within their body and mind. In this mindset, athletes can achieve a flow state—a mental space where they aren’t thinking but simply acting. This is when the hours of preparation come together, allowing them to execute with calm confidence.
Motivational speaker Mel Robbins puts it aptly: “Confidence is not a feeling, but an action. Confidence comes from competence.” The confidence to perform under pressure doesn’t come from wishful thinking but from mastery developed through repetition. When athletes train consistently, they create trust pathways in the brain, enabling them to rely on these patterns under stress. Coaches who teach athletes to understand and apply the two mindsets at the right moments give them a mental system to crush anxiety. This empowers athletes to enter competition knowing they “have the answers to the test.”
The Gift of Confidence: “We’ve Got the Answers to the Test”
When you say to your athletes to “trust your training,” you’re empowering them to tap into the deep well of preparation that has led them to this point. You’re reminding them they’ve done everything they need to do; now, it’s time to relax, be confident, and perform. Through the muscle memory and competence developed over countless reps, athletes can let go and let their preparation carry them through. Trusting their training allows them to focus on the present moment and attack the next play with conviction.
Athletes who flip the switch and trust their training take the field knowing they’re prepared for any challenge. This belief—that they have the answers—breeds total assurance. And when we face the unknown with answers in hand, we’re unshakable.
In those final moments, look your team in the eyes, smile, and remind them to "Trust your training."
This article is a summary of a 3-part series in The Blueprint's in-season curriculum, 'Trust Your Training.' The Blueprint is a plug-and-play system for athletes that provide teams with a performance edge by providing them with a certified mental performance coach on-demand.
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